The Automaton of Zero
by Daemius
Summary: On the world of Toril, an adventuring party go on an epic quest to slay a dragon when one of their members goes missing. Midas, the team's automaton defender, heavily damaged and exhausted from the fight with the dragon, is pulled into another world. How will he react to his abduction?
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMERS AND SUCH….**

"**Zero no Tsukaima" in all its forms is the intellectual property of their creators/owners with whom I have no affiliation.**

**Though I am confident in my use of it, my mother tongue is not English, so any corrections to mistakes that make it past me are welcome, I wish for my writing to be as enjoyable as possible and I know how distracting spelling errors in particular can be.**

**This is a fanfiction crossover of "Zero no Tsukaima" and "Dungeons & Dragons" (Rulesets 3.0 Ed and 3.5 Ed).**

**I realize "Zero no Tsukaima" is probably oversaturated, so any continuation of the story will depend on the responses I will receive.**

* * *

**Chapter 1: ARRIVAL**

"Finally we're here!" Vulna said with an uncharacteristically high-piched voice as she was the first to reach the vine just outside the massive double gates. She immediately cut one of the long stalks of the plant and drew a deep, long breath of fresh air, just in time to pass the vine to her winged companion. Furin was the third to take the plant and inhale some air, even though his need was much less pressing than his other two fellow adventurers; as for Midas, being an automaton, he really didn't need to breathe to sustain himself.

"There are plenty of vines for everyone, I don't see a reason why we should all share the same stalk" Vulna complained waiting for her turn to take another breath.

"Vulna, we are nae the only ones travelling through the Sunken Palace" Furin chided her "We must consider those that walk past 'ere after us as well"

"Yes, yes" the cowgirl responded, a hint of childish annoyance in her voice. "Anyway, are you sure Leviathan is in this hall? I'd rather be done with this job and return on sweet dry land" To her response Aeldroth approached the double gates and placed his palms on them. His concentration was suddenly broken, the wings on his back fluttered for just a moment, then he turned to Vulna, there was no doubt about it, the only thing separating them from the aquatic dragon was that gate.

"So, we proceed according to plan?" Vulna inquired to which Aeldroth responded with a single nod.

"Aye, just as we discussed" answered Furin.

"Then it is time you two get started" Midas added in an emotionless, mechanical voice that sounded as if it was reverberating through a series of corridors. While the automaton would usually make the extra effort to add emotional fluctuations to his speech, his current companions knew him and he knew them well enough to use his true voice. The towering teenage female minotaur, Vulna Shadowmane, took several potions out of her greater bag of holding and proceeded to drink them in quick succession, Furin Mithrillheart retrieved numerous scrolls from his own inventory and started casting their magic while Aeldroth followed suit. One after another, priestly blessings as well as arcane enchantments were applied to the group of four, all cast from a multitude of scrolls, to the point that an observer might consider this a blatant waste of resources, especially since the two spellcasters could cast most of these spells from memory. But the group had been meticulously prepared for their mission, and experience had taught them that those memorized spells were better saved for an emergency.

As they finished their buffing session, Aeldroth took his small harp-like lyre and played a song to inspire his allies. The only thing that could be heard however was the strings on his harp, not even Midas' advanced aural sensors could pick the singer's voice, which was too high in the ultrasound range. Vulna, as the mischievous rogue that she was, simply melded with the shadows and disappeared in plain sight and finally Midas forcefully pushed open the gates and charged barehanded at the dragon closely followed by Furin.

* * *

All in all, Leviathan considered this to have been a pretty good day, by daybreak he wrecked two fishing boats and ate their unfortunate passengers, a thing that had become somewhat of a habit for the past couple of weeks, later on went on to sink a trade ship out of Waterdeep and brought some more loot to his already massive pile of gold coins, precious gems and priceless artifacts. There were two things dragons enjoyed the most, riches and napping, and when they could indulge themselves in both these pleasures at the same time, by sleeping atop their hoard, they were in seventh heaven.

So understandably, he was now in the foulest of moods, having been denied his well-deserved rest by a… golden dwarf charging at him empty-handedly. Then his nose tingled, that dwarf was… valuable? There was no question about it, whatever it was, that little thing was worth being added to his hoard, but he found it unlikely to keep it subdued, in which case he'd have to dismantle it and keep its parts. With these thoughts, Leviathan approached his attacker.

"IT IS RARE THAT VALUABLES COME TO ME ON THEIR OWN, USUALLY I AM THE ONE TO…" His remark was cut short as Midas launched himself at the dragon with a sudden acceleration delivering a punch right on his snout, staggering the massive serpent and forcing him to take a step back.

"I WAS GOING TO KEEP YOU ALIVE AS MY PET, BUT YOU SEALED YOUR FATE!" Leviathan yelled enraged. In the meantime, Vulna had reappeared from a shadowed corner on the tall ceiling and jumped towards Leviathan's back, while Furin revealed himself behind Midas making a beeline to the left and Aeldroth flew to the right, intent on assaulting the dragon from several different angles. It was at this point that Leviathan realized this was not a suicidal attack from a hero-wannabe wanting to make a name for himself by claiming the title of dragonslayer, no, these people were experienced warriors that probably had felled a number of dragons already and they came fully prepared.

His musings were cut short as Vulna landed on his back, right between his wing, the sheer impact of a freefalling adolescent female minotaur enough to stagger him. Vulna didn't lose any time and plunged both her enchanted rapiers on the dragon's back, making use of her immense strength to push them to the hilt, each blade pointed to either of his wings' base. Leviathan roared so loud that the entire hall was shaken but before he could react to Vulna, another strike was delivered on his right knee, courtesy of Furin's warhammer and two slashes cut the inside of his other knee from Aeldroth's twin, sonic enhanced kukris. As the dragon fell on his forelegs Midas took the chance to unleash a barrage of attacks to the reptiles' readily accessible and unprotected face, his metal reinforced fists and feet striking like a jackhammer, enraging even further the giant reptile and locking his focus on the automaton.

Having already used the element of surprise to limit Leviathan's mobility, and with Vulna drawing her backup blades, which, while they were of great quality, were nowhere near as powerful as her main weapons she left lodged in the dragon's back to keep the wings disabled, the party of four prepared for a long, grueling fight…

* * *

The day the pinkette feared most had finally come, if she failed to call a familiar, judging by her history a VERY possible outcome, she would fail. She would fail to become a mage, she would fail her family tradition and name, she would fail her very own dreams and ambitions. It took all her focus and courage to stop her legs from trembling as one after another, her classmates completed the summoning ritual and there were less and less students between her and the dreaded summoning circle. Finally there was nobody left that hadn't performed the ritual, nobody but her that is.

"Has everyone had their turn?" Colbert asked, being the considerate teacher he hoped to have Louise perform the summoning in a less stressful, private environment under his more immediate guidance. His hopes however were for naught as Louise's longtime rival and literal nemesis, Kirce, spoke up:

"There's still Louise! I wonder what kind of fabulous familiar she will summon" the irony in her voice more than evident. Louse gripped her wand tight to control her nerves, but even if she could summon something, how could she possibly content with Tabitha's dragon? With these thoughts she stepped forward trying her all to hide every sign of her nervousness and, pointing her wand at the center of the summoning circle, started her incantation:

"Oh my most noble, powerful and beautiful familiar, you who have no match across all creation, hear my summons and come to my side!"

"Well, if nothing else, that's original" Kirce quipped about Louise's incantation, followed by laughter from the other students. The laughing however was cut short as a huge explosion shook the entire courtyard…

* * *

The adventuring party were badly hurt, Aeldroth was missing a wing but he was still trying to hack at the dragon wherever he could, Midas' golden skin was ruptured in several spots exposing his internal clockwork mechanisms, Vulna's shortswords had long ago broken and she was trying to ram Leviathan with her horns calling upon the last vestiges of her waning endurance, Furin had exhausted most of his spells trying to keep his allies alive and now was simply pounding at the dragon with his Warhammer. But if the quartet of heroes were hurt, Leviathan was on his last leg, and with retreat not being an option due to his crippled wings, it didn't look good for him.

At the moment of the adventurers' apparent triumph, a purple portal opened right under Midas' feet. Under normal circumstances, the automaton would had no trouble evading a hole opening under him, but he was heavily damaged and drained from taking most of Leviathan's attacks, and with his attention entirely focused on his enemy, he failed to react in time and fell into the portal. Immidiately he ran a few simulations about the outcome of the fight, in all of them the result was the same, Leviathan's wounds were too grievous to turn things around and Furin could replace Midas as the team's protector in an emergency such as this, a contingency plan they had discussed beforehand, so there was no cause for worry on that front. As he was pulled to the other side of the portal he took a cloack out of his inventory made of the same material as his golden skin, one that encircled completely his wide body and obscured him entirely from his neck-down. With his head resembling a war helmet, he was confident he could pass as an armed humanoid as to avoid raising unnecessary suspicions from whatever creature was waiting on the other side.

He landed in the midst of a smoke cloud that posed no obstruction to his advanced sensors and gave him enough time to observe his environment before his presence was made known. The first thing he noticed was the circle with the runic symbols at the center of which he stood, making an effort to memorize every miniscule detail. Next was the surrounding people, the vast majority being human teenagers wearing matching uniforms, almost all of them in a state of shock and/or fear. Each of the youngsters save a short pink-haired girl was accompanied by a creature, none of which representing any kind of threat except one, a young blue dragon. Next he noticed the only adult in the courtyard of what seemed to be a walled fortress with a central tower. Midas estimated that even in his diminished state, he could overpower the dragonling, unless every single being present attacked him at the same time, there shouldn't be any real threat to his safety.

* * *

The smoke slowly dissipated unveiling a somewhat short human wearing a golden helmet and an equally golden cloack around him, with a build wide enough to scare off an enraged bull. For a few awkward moments nobody knew how to react to his presence until Kirce, once more took the initiative.

"Well, Louise, are you not going to finish the summoning ritual? Or should I give you a lesson on how to kiss a man?" Chuckles followed Kirce's comment, half towards Louise and half towards the speaker herself.

"I… Of… Of course I am going to finish the ritual; I don't need you butting in" Louise stuttered trying to fake anger while her face turned red. She hesitantly approached him, who for his part showed no reaction other than looking around. Still he was a stranger with unknown motives and by the look of it was some kind of warrior, seemingly a powerful one too.

"I, Louise le Blanc, third daughter of the noble family de la Valiere command you, my servant, to kneel!" She said trying to sound as regal as possible testing the man's compliance before going any closer. She thought she would feel safer if he was kneeling, in case she needed to put some distance between them in a hurry and she could reach him with more ease for the kiss since she was considerably shorter than him.

"I, Midas of the noble family Mithrillheart am not servant! I am not summoning!" Midas responded in kind causing everyone to gasp, even Colbert recoiled when he heard such declaration uttered in a most kingly manner. At the same time Midas' eyes, twin crimson gems polished to perfection, flashed with a deep red light for a moment and a gust of wind swept outwards causing the students to avert their eyes.

"A… A… noble?!" was all that Louise was able to say in shock and Colbert who had been eyeing the newcomer with suspicion since his arrival, immediately sprang into action interposing himself between Midas and his student and tightened his hold of his wooden staff just in case.

"Please lord Midas, accept my sincerest apologies, my student never intended to summon one such as you here." Colbert hoped to diffuse the situation with diplomacy, but was ready to respond with force if needed.

"The situation is highly irregular, but if you follow me to the headmaster's office, I'm sure we can sort this out" Midas just nodded his head to the teacher in acceptance without saying anything, upon which Colbert summarily dismissed all the students except Louise and the trio headed for Old Osman's office.

* * *

Midas was watching with great interest the reactions his appearance caused. Though the children in front of him were speaking an unknown language, he had already expected that and activated beforehand his heuristic language analysis routines. When the pink-haired girl named Lousie le Blanc de la Valiere made a claim of ownership over him on account of her noble family he had enough vocabulary and understanding to formulate a response: If he claimed a social position equal or potentially higher than her (which wasn't too far off from the truth) he could reap the best possible results. So he started synthesizing his reply:

system: Function "formulate reply" start

Retrieving words from memory bank:

"Well, Louise, are you **not** going to finish the **summoning** ritual? Or should **I** give you a lesson on how to kiss a man?"

"I… Of… Of course I **am** going to finish the ritual; I don't need you butting in"

"I, Louise le Blanc, third daughter **of the noble family** de la Valiere command you, my **servant**, to kneel!"

Synthesizing reply from words:

"**I** #common identification = Midas# **of the noble family** #clan tag = Mithrillheart# **am not servant I am not summoning**"

Adding intonation: #Royal decree#

system: Function "formulate reply" end.

While delivering his reply he momentarily activated his infrared vision and sent a power surge to his feet in hopes this would be interpreted as an outburst of anger.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

As most of you may have surmised, the adventurers are at an underwater environment, hence the need to breathe from vines long enough to reach the surface. Midas is an automaton and acts as the party's tank, Furin Mithrillheart is a dwarven cleric, Aedroth is an outsider and an apparently voiceless bard and last but not least Vulna Shadowmane is a female minotaur, the party's rogue and shadowdancing prankster. All of them are characters I had built on a specific Neverwinter Nights persistent world server more than a decade ago.


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMERS AND SUCH….**

"**Dungeons & Dragons" and "Zero no Tsukaima" in all their forms are the intellectual property of their creators/owners with whom I have no affiliation.**

**Though I am confident in my use of it, my mother tongue is not English, so any corrections to mistakes that make it past me are welcome, I wish for my writing to be as enjoyable as possible and I know how distracting spelling errors in particular can be.**

**This is a fanfiction crossover of "Zero no Tsukaima" and "Dungeons & Dragons" (Rulesets 3.0 Ed and 3.5 Ed).**

**Here is the second chapter, my thanks to all of you who have faved, followed and read my first attempt at publicly exposing my writing. I rely on your reviews and comments to improve my style and make this a better experience for both of us.**

**Chapter 2: INTRODUCTIONS**

As Colbert lead the mismatched duo through a series of turns and corridors within the building complex, Midas made a note to map the route and possible emergency exits. Under his cloak, he held a **Potion of Heal**, recently retrieved from his inventory just in case things went south; he had experienced firsthand the extend of power master mages held and he would not underestimate this "headmaster". Still, unless he deemed it absolutely necessary, he would not consume any of his still ample supply of magical items, unless he found a way to replenish them. After a five minute long walk, they reached a waiting room sporting a couple of comfortable sofas, a long, low table in the middle and several bookcases covering the walls, filled with books to the brim.

"Please wait here for a moment while I inform the Headmaster of today's events" Colbert said and moved towards a dark red-brown wooden door on the other side of the room that led to Old Osman's office. Midas didn't respond, instead he simply walked to the nearest bookcase; his golden cloak parted just enough to reveal his arm clad in a form-fitting gauntlet of the same golden material as his cloak ending at his forearm with a thick dark blue metal brace, a glowing round crimson gem embedded on it. He picked a book, and opened it at a random page standing motionless staring at the writing. Taking Midas' reaction as acknowledgement, Colbert went into the adjacent room closing the door behind him.

"Um… mister Midas…" Louise could no longer hold back now that Colbert had left, fidgeting she tried to find an appropriate way to start a conversation with what should have been her familiar. There was no reply from Midas who had his gaze fixed on the same page for the last two minutes, then deciding to flip to the next page of the book. Louise wondered if she somehow had offended him, then again, he was her familiar, the least he could do was to pay attention to her. She noticed that Midas flipped the next page in less than 20 seconds, and then went on to casually browse through the book in his hand turning page after page with his thumb.

"Just Midas will do" Louise for once felt genuinely relieved for the interruption as she prepared to once again call to him. "Since you are still here, you may as well answer a few of my questions" Midas continued in a somewhat uninterested way without moving his gaze from the book he was casually browsing. Louise felt somewhat insulted by his response and was about to retort when Midas interrupted her once more:

"Am I correct to assume this is an educational institution?"

"Um… yes, this is Tristain's Academy of Magic…"

"And you are a student here, which means the mage that escorted us is your instructor?" Midas didn't let Louise finish her explanation.

"Er… if you mean mister Colbert, then yes, he is a teacher at the academy, a fire mage" Louise replied automatically, after so many interruptions and equally as many changes of her emotional state, she simply decided to answer whatever questions Midas had and be done with it.

"Rest assured miss Valiere" Midas said as he placed the book back in its original place and took another from a nearby bookcase, which he promptly opened and started browsing through in the same manner. "I will not hold you responsible for my abduction; this was your instructor's oversight. Now, what can you tell me about the headmaster? Is he the final authority in the academy? How does he stack as a mage?"

"Principal Osmond? He was a famous square mage in his youth and he runs the academy now. He has connections to the royal family, though like all of us, he still answers to the throne."

At that moment the door to the principal's office opened and Colbert emerged from inside.

"Would you two please come in? The headmaster wishes to talk with you." He said holding the door open and politely pointing inside the office. Midas placed the book back to its place, an action Colbert took notice, the nobles he knew would just leave it anywhere expecting the maids to tidy up. He also noticed that the book he held was one dealing with geography and the ruling dynasties instead of the initial one he picked, which was about children's fairy tales.

As they entered the room, Osmond stood from his chair and looked at the pair, admittedly most of his attention turned to Midas.

"Ah, miss Louise, you never fail to surprise!" Osmond's green-haired secretary said with a genuine smile in her face.

"And you must be the rumored nobility from another world… Midas was it? My name is Osmond and I am the headmaster of this Academy of Magic." The white haired mage said with a slight bow.

"I am Midas, son of Furin of the Mithrillheart clan. I was on a mission of extreme importance for my people when I was unwillingly dragged here, wherever that is. My mission is compromised; my squad is at peril because of your actions. I could throw a childish tantrum demanding reparations but that would be of no help to my companions; it could not possibly make up for the devastation that will befall my people as a result of failing my mission. All I ask instead, nay, _demand!_ is that you send me back promptly and I will consider this incident over" he said while walking closer to Osmond's office.

To say that the staff present was shocked would be an understatement. Colbert had described Midas as a compliant, mild, cautious character that didn't talk much or in any way took any initiative. Yet his first interaction with the principal was at the very least aggressive. Osmond, being the eldest in the room, recovered first, reasoning that Midas didn't attempt to force any issues upon first contact, so that he would be brought directly to the person of highest authority. Had he made his demands earlier, he would be met with excuses about the principal being indisposed in order to gain time for a more prepared counter-proposal, a standard tactic in negotiations. He recognized the person before him as a master negotiator and well versed in handling matters of the state, his state, a noble in the truest definition.

"I understand, Lord Midas, that you feel wronged by the current state of affairs" the headmaster began, drawing on his half a century long experience on negotiating on behalf of the royal family. "However, the purpose of the summoning ritual that brought you here, was to provide young mages with lifelong companions, the process was never meant to be reversed, even the very notion of it may be considered heretic. In short, no matter how much I wish to help you, the truth is we have no way presently to send you back." Osmond admitted somewhat reluctantly.

Hearing this, the automaton took another step forward and placed both his hands on Osmond's desk.

"So, what _can_ you do to rectify this injustice?" he inquired. "Or is this a declaration that I am your prisoner? In which case I would strongly suggest you reconsider, for such a line of thought will lead inevitably to war with the Mithrillheart clan. Do not for one moment think just because you reside on a different world, you are outside the reach of our wrath." As Midas uttered these last words, he locked eyes with the principal, the temperature seemed to drop in the room and the tension became so dense you could cut it with a knife.

"Rest assured lord Midas, I will assign my best to find you a way to your home, but I expect such a task to take time. In the meanwhile, let me extend you our hospitality as our honored guest, if we can do anything to make your stay pleasant, do not shy from asking." Osmond replied seemingly unaffected by the implied threat of war.

"I guess there is no point making demands beyond the realm of possibility." Midas conceded in a calmer tone. "Then I will take this as an opportunity to establish diplomatic relations with the nations of your world, perhaps I can turn this to the benefit of both our people. As father likes to say, when faced with obstacles a fool bemoans his fate, a wise man sees a hidden opportunity."

"That is a very enlightened viewpoint. Still there is one outstanding issue we must resolve before we conclude this meeting, one that concerns miss Valiere here" Osmond said. "Miss Valiere performed a summoning ritual intended to bind her with a familiar, and, well, she summoned you. I cannot call her effort at summoning a failure, yet she is denied her familiar; no mage will be recognized as such without one."

Louise hearing this for the first time in what felt an eternity raised her eyes from the ground and looked expectantly at Midas.

"I am what in your nation would be the equivalent to a crown prince, you surely do not expect me to be anybody's familiar, my allegiance lies with my people first and foremost. You are right however that miss Valiere would be wronged to be denied a familiar. Is there a reason she cannot attempt a summoning ritual a second time? That would be the obvious answer" To this Osmond shook his head

"No, the sacred ritual can be performed only once lest the significance of the familiar be devalued from a lifelong companion it is supposed to be to nothing more than a tool instead."

"But if my understanding of the ritual is correct, then the summoning is not yet complete; shouldn't it be concluded with a kiss? A kiss that has yet to be delivered." Hearing this Louise's face turned beet red, prince or not, she was ready to unleash her fury on Midas, Osmond however saw where the automaton was going and interjected.

"Even so, it is regrettable that she cannot make use of the summoning circle twice" he said, the regret obvious in his voice.

"By the way Headmaster Osmond, is your familiar the white mouse that tries to peek under my cloak?" The elderly mage sweatdropped and hastily extended his hand to pick up the little white mouse that has been trying in vain to peek behind the golden cloak.

"Heheh! Chuchu has a mind of his own, I do hope you won't hold against him his playful antics" he said rubbing the back of his head with his free hand.

"I am curious, you said familiars are lifelong companions, yet from my knowledge, a mouse's life expectancy is about a year, less if it lives in the wild, without a master to provide for it. So how does it work with your mouse familiar? Do you resummon it every year?"

"Oh, no, once the summon is runebound to his mage as a familiar, it cannot die of natural causes before its summoner nor can it return where it came from. So they become true, lifelong companions." he said while the mouse ran up its master's arm and hid within his beard.

"So what you are saying is that it is prohibited to summon a familiar through the summoning circle more than once but there's no rule against making use of other means" Midas stated while placing on the desk a rolled up scroll that despite seeming ancient, was overflowing with a magical blue aura. Everybody in the room realized that this was a powerful magic item, but before any questions could be asked, Midas continued:

"My people have learned how to inscribe spells on scrolls, then charge them with the required magic power, so they can use them even when their willpower reserves are depleted. This particular scroll contains the spell **Summon Monster VI**, which, as the name implies, will summon a creature to assist the caster in any way they are commanded to. The creature is leashed to the caster's will and cannot deny any order, even if said order would mean it's demise in the most painful way. This is not a permanent summon, unlike your familiars, these spells are mostly used as expandable reinforcements or distractions, but If it is runebound the way headmaster Osmond described by completing the summoning ritual, it could serve as a familiar. If used by miss Valiere, I expect a Celestial Polar Bear to be summoned"

Silence descended upon the room, mouths agape at Midas' explanation, all eyes focused on the magic item, a particular yellow-green colored pair with greed on them. There were so many revelations in these last few moments that Osmonds' mind went to overdrive, a method to store spells was practiced on Midas' world, creatures being summoned as reinforcements in combat, and what was that about a Celestial Polar Bear? As if normal polar bears weren't overpowered enough. What kind of war did the people of Mithrillheart clan fought that they had to use polar bears as mere distractions?! And yet, the foreign prince pulled out such a powerful magic item as if it was inconsequential.

"I am willing to teach miss Valiere how to use the scroll during my stay here" Midas continued seeing that everyone present was either at a loss of words or too deep in thought to add anything. "In return, I would like free access to your libraries as well as the research relevant to my return home. As for the scroll, it shall remain in my possession until such time as I deem miss Valiere capable of using it. Would that be acceptable?". Louise looked at Osmond with the best pleading puppy-eyes she could never make, her eyes triple in size than normal, entire galaxies swirling within them.

"Don't you think such a valuable item will be safer inside the main vault?" Miss Longueville said looking at Osmond, trying to imitate Louise's masterful puppy-eyes look.

"No! The scroll stays with me!" Midas stated in a way that left no room for further objections.

Osmond was lost trying to set his thoughts in order, the two women giving him the most adorable, pleading looks not helping at all, but eventually he managed to land back on reality

"Your terms are agreeable lord Midas… or should I call you Your Highness instead?" The headmaster suddenly realized that he was indeed speaking to a prince.

"Just Midas would do" ...

* * *

As Colbert lead the way to the headmaster's office, Midas found himself in a predicament. He had collected precious few samples of the locals' vocabulary, enough to communicate once and had since made do with simple nods, he heeded a way to expand his knowledge of the local language and a source of information regarding the local affairs, governing system and politics. As they reached what seemed to be an admittedly comfortable waiting room, his eyes fell on the books lined in rows on shelves. He immediately took the book with the most colorful cover, children's books were the easiest to analyze, opened it at the middle and ran his optical script recognition routines on the left page ignoring Colbert who went into the next room to inform his superior. I took him 80 seconds to make sense of the script in a single page, but now having a point of reference the right page took him only half as much to decipher. After that, it was a breeze reading page after page, his optical sensors recording near instantly their content, he went on until reading any further provided little to no new vocabulary entries. He swiftly replaced the simple, children's book he was reading with another that was about geopolitical affairs, while at the same time trying to obtain whatever knowledge he could from his diminutive summoner.

**Author's Notes**

Midas is a prince?! Well… kind of.

You see, Furin Mithrillheart is the one that constructed Midas, and ever since the automaton's awakening as a sentient being (a story for another time), Furin has insisted that Midas refers to him as his father. Furin is also the First in the ruling Council of Elders of the Mithrillheart clan, so in a VERY loose sense he is a State Leader, which in Halkeginia would be recognized as a king. Hence his... "son", Midas, is a... kind of?… a prince?


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMERS AND SUCH….**

"**Dungeons & Dragons" and "Zero no Tsukaima" in all their forms are the intellectual property of their creators/owners with whom I have no affiliation.**

**Though I am confident in my use of it, my mother tongue is not English, so any corrections to mistakes that make it past me are welcome, I wish for my writing to be as enjoyable as possible and I know how distracting spelling errors in particular can be.**

**This is a fanfiction crossover of "Zero no Tsukaima" and "Dungeons & Dragons" (Rulesets 3.0 Ed and 3.5 Ed).**

**I've been down with a particularly nasty case of flu so, my apologies for the delay. Please review and comment as they are a great source of motivation.**

* * *

**Chapter 3: GETTING FAMILIAR**

Midas woke up at the middle of the night within the luxurious guest room. He activated his darkvision and looked at the canopy of the four-post king-size bed while he ran a diagnostic to verify his status:

system: run "quick-diagnostic" function start

ID tag: Mithrillheart Integrated Defense Automaton System version 7.7 beta

Race: Construct – Subrace: Dwarven Clockwork Automaton

Classes: Monk level 9 – Dwarven Defender level 7 – Fighter level 4

Base Ability Scores: Strength: 14 – Dexterity: 16 – Constitution: 16 – Wisdom: 16 – Intelligence: 14 – Charisma: 8

Hit Points: 52/316 (+ 34 unallocated HP from rest)

Skills with limited daily uses fully charged

system: run "quick-diagnostic" function end

He immediately made use of his **Wholeness of Body** monk class skill to recover another 18 Hit Points for a grand total of 52. The cloak concealing him, had worked on his first day on Tristain, but he knew he could not rely on it indefinitely without raising suspicions, nor was he fancy to make known his true nature as a construct yet, so he prioritized repairing the holes on his golden skin. He then got up, since resting would afford him no more benefits and made his way to the Academy's public library, where he remained studying the Brimirian magic system until the first light of the dawn invaded through the windows.

"I'm sorry your Highness, I didn't know you would be in the library so early into the day" The busty maid fell on one knee; both the students and the servants had been informed the previous day that the Academy was accommodating a very important guest, a prince from a far-away land, and should any of them cross their paths with Midas, they should treat him with the outmost respect.

"Please stand up, my people have gotten rid of such… counterproductive practices long ago." He said as he himself got up from his seat and proceeded to place the books he was studying back to their appointed places.

"Counterproductive, my Lord?" Siesta asked as she offered to handle Midas' current task.

"People cannot be productive while prostrating themselves, can they? By the way just Midas will do miss…" He retorted, refusing to surrender the books he held, he continued arranging them in the shelves.

"I'm… I mean my name is Siesta, my Lord" the young maid stuttered trying her best to curtsy, her face turning red at the attention she was shown. She marveled at the efficiency Midas worked, never backtracking his steps, or even passing through the same isle a second time.

"If you would allow me my Lord, tidying up the library has become somewhat of a pasttime, it is no problem at all"

"I find it strange the students of this prestigious educational institution treat the knowledge offered with such a nonchalant, trivial manner" Midas said looking at the last book in his hands. "We regard schools and libraries as holy places of learning and knowledge, where everybody who makes the effort to apply themselves, will become greater than they were" he finally set the last book into its slot and turned to face a dumbfounded Siesta.

Though Siesta had met many high-ranking nobles, state and religious officials and even saw princess Henrietta once, the poor maid stood like a statue, trying to process the view before her, a prince as mysterious, powerful, compassionate, humble and wise as only fairytales have the right to describe them, and she blushed even more furiously realizing that in those fairytales, more often than not, it was the poor, earnest country girl that won the princes' affection.

"Miss Siesta, could you lead me to miss Valiere's quarters?" Midas' commanding voice brought her back to Earth.

"Miss Louise's room?! Of… of course my Lord" the disappointment in the brunette's response made more than clear. "In the end, fairytales are just that, fairytales, I should stick to what can be done in my reality instead" she berated herself internally.

"Is there something the matter miss Siesta?" Midas didn't fail to notice the change in her tone.

"No, I just thought… I… don't know what I thought…" she answered trying to understand why she felt so depressed hearing Louise's name. "Never mind me my Lord, please follow me this way" she said forcing a smile and a more cheerful expression for the prince that had been so polite and respectful of her. About five minutes of uncomfortably silent walk, Siesta felt relieved to see the door to Louise's room. She knocked on it lightly while calling out to the room's occupant.

"Miss Louise, you have a visitor" the only response coming from the room a surprisingly feral grunt.

"Miss Valiere, it is morning already, we have a full schedule ahead of us, so I suggest we make the best use of the sunlight" Midas said calmly, absolving the maid of the potentially unpleasant repercussions of waking up a noble in a bad mood.

"Right! Give me a minute to get ready Lord Midas!" the reply came without delay in a clearly panicked voice along with banging sounds from inside.

"Perhaps you should go in there to help her calm down and get ready? I won't be going anywhere in the meantime" He addressed the maid who looked at him with pleading eyes but finally gave up with a sigh, knocked again at the door and entered the room after announcing her intention. A few moments later, Louise emerged from the door wearing her school uniform, Siesta following behind her. Midas, true to his word, was leaning on a wall nearby at a sufficient distance to allow the ladies a measure of privacy.

"Forgive my tardiness Lord Midas, but since this day is free of school obligations so the students can bond with their familiars and I don't have one…"

"Nonsense! Your summoning ritual is still in progress, staying locked in your room sniveling will get nothing resolved" the automaton cut her off "Our schedule for the day is more than full, so I suggest you get a hearty breakfast before we begin. Or we can begin without one, your choice." It was difficult to describe Louise's feelings at this point; she was definitely in shock, partly aggravated that her supposed familiar was not only ordering her around but also threatening her to skip breakfast and partly honored that she received so much attention from a prince; she, in very objective, scientific terms, was a mess. Siesta on the other hand marveled at how easily Midas manipulated the pinkette's mood.

"Right! Breakfast!" Louise said as she nearly ran through the corridors to the huge mess-hall, followed closely by Midas. Three long tables spread almost the entire length of the ball-room parallel to one another. On each of the food-laden table sat student wearing same-colored cloaks, each of the three colors indicating the wearer's seniority in the academy. At the top of the hall, another long table similarly packed with delicious-looking food was placed vertically on a raised platform where the senior staff of the Academy were seated. As soon as the duo entered, everyone stood at attention.

"Your Highness, Lord Midas, would you grace us with your presence?" the headmaster addressed the newcomer pointing at the seat of honor next to his. Midas placed a reassuring hand on Louise's shoulder before moving on towards the central table taking his place among the teachers of the Academy.

"I have an announcement to make" Osmond continued. "As some of you may have already heard, yesterday we were graced with the unexpected visit of a foreign dignitary. While the… circumstances of his arrival were unconventional, the fact remains that his Highness, prince Midas of the Mithrillheart Clan is amongst us, as such I wish to remind you to be on your very best behavior. Now if your Highness would like to address the students…" Old Osmond looked at the automaton.

"Thank you headmaster" Midas took this opportunity with a voice radiating strength and authority. "First I'd like to thank everybody for the welcome I received" he said looking at Louise, "even though my arrival here was neither planned, nor announced ahead. Secondly I wish to clarify that I don't intent to disrupt the Academy's activities if at all possible. As such I would ask as a personal favor, that no person alter their daily routine on my account, my people have long abandoned the practice of exaggerated shows of loyalty such as kneeling and neither will I demand such from any of you. Lastly, there is no need to use honorary titles, if you need to address me, just Midas will suffice." Having said his piece, he sat on his chair, followed by the senior staff and then the students.

After breakfast, Midas swiftly rejoined Louise at the courtyard.

"It is time we start your training Miss Valiere" he said as he parted his cloak moving it behind his back like some sort of superhero cape. His form, revealed for the first time, was that of an extremely muscular man wearing a golden, seamless, form-fitting bodysuit. His hands were covered by heavy, dark blue, metal-reinforced gauntlets and likewise his feet bore similarly styled boots, on each of them there was embedded a glowing crimson semi-spherical pearl. Another such pearl was resting at the clasp of his multi-pouch bearing belt, but the most eye-catching feature was the huge, perfectly polished, blood-red gem that was secured on his chest by four wide belts of gold leather which apparently converged somewhere on his back, hidden by the cloak-made-cape. "But first I need your _input_ to get a feel for this world's magic"

"My input?!" Louise retorted surprised. "Perhaps you could ask another student instead… my magic is… atypical" she went on with a faltering voice.

"That was my intention all along, but first I need to know what the magic that summoned me here can do" Midas left her no way out of her predicament. "Let's start simple, why don't you cast a spell over that empty spot?" he pointed at a vacant piece of grassland. Louise was now furious, she didn't expect her summon-turned-trainer to put her at such a position. With no other option, she gripped her wand tight and fired away **Explosion**. True to its namesake, the ground erupted in a discharge of fire and smoke, the sonic boom overpowering every other sound in the courtyard.

"Interesting" Midas said as he moved to the patch of scorched land, knelt and touched the blackened earth. Around the duo, a crowd was developing at an alarming rate, the students whispering amongst them about how much of a Zero Louise was.

"Now, try that with me as your target miss Valiere" he declared disregarding the gasps from the mob around them.

"I could never attack you lord Midas!" the young mage panicked.

"I have witnessed the potency of your spell miss Valiere, it could not cause me harm and I have to experience its effects first hand" Midas thought this could become a great exercise at self-restraint for Louise. On the other hand Louise was terrified, hurting the prince of a foreign nation would cause a diplomatic incident, but her instructions were clear. Seeing as Midas was unlikely to change his decision, with a trembling hand, she cast **Explosion** again and braced herself for the consequences. This explosion was clearly less powerful than the previous one but still the ensuing smoke covered everything in the area for long, agonizing moments. Midas did suffer minor damage against his expectations, though it was nothing his up until recently over 100 Hit Points couldn't take,

"And they call this spell a failure?!" Midas' elated voice could be clearly heard from within the smoke-screen. "This is one of the most multi-faceted and complex spells, even more so considering the basic elemental nature of Brimiric magic" he exclaimed surprising everyone present, but none more than Louise herself.

"Come miss Valiere, let us discuss the nature of your spell in an environment more conductive to your education" he said as he made his way to a, currently empty, classroom, Louise following in tow, leaving behind them a stunned audience. Once there, Midas had Louise sit on one of the front-row desk while he went to the blackboard and started drawing various shapes. The first was a fire, the second was concentric circles, the third was a cloud.

"From these first tests, miss Valiere, I surmised your **Explosion** spell to have at least four aspects. The first should be obvious, huge amounts of heat are released, the matter near and around your target ignited and reduced to ash near instantly. That of its own should be enough to qualify as fire magic according to the Brimiric classification system. The second, equally as obvious and destructive is the violent displacement of gasses, generating shockwaves of pure force as well as the characteristic sound. Likewise, this is classified as wind magic."

"You mean Explosion is a line spell?" Louise could not remember any time in her life that she had been more surprised than this.

"I am not finished yet miss Valiere" Midas continued without a hint of annoyance in his tone. "The third aspect of your spell is the following smoke. Though not as destructive as the first two, if you master this aspect you could gain many tactical advantages that could outweigh raw damage, sowing confusion into enemy ranks before an assault, providing cover for a tactical withdrawal or reposition, the possibilities are endless. Of course a smoke spell is a combination of fire and air so there are no new elements added to **Explosion**". Louise was listening with rapt attention when, all of a sudden, Midas moved to cover the classroom's windows with thick curtains to prevent any eavesdropping. He then went to the blackboard and drew another shape, a circle inside of a square, the circle itself was black while whatever pieces of the square were outside of the circle were painted white.

The last component of your spell, miss Valiere, is best to be kept secret between us two" he said lowering his voice as to avoid being heard outside of the classroom and locked eyes with her. It took Louise some time to realize Midas was asking for permission to continue and that thought sent chills down her spine. What could be so important, so dangerous it warranted such secrecy? Was she ready to learn such a secret? In the end her curiosity won and she nodded affirmatively to her instructor.

The last aspect of your **Explosion** spell, miss Valiere" he said pausing for a moment and looking at the girl, "is the Lost Element as it is referred on your magic system, the element of Void." Louise's eyes went wide with surprise and it was a whole minute before she realized she was holding her breath.

"Now, let me explain from personal experience what exactly this Void element is, since the best explanation I have found in your books is, at the very best, severely lacking. What you call Void element is the nullification of magic. Imagine the square on the blackboard is full with magic, the element of which is of no consequence. If your Explosion affects the circle, then all magic within that circle will be eradicated, nullified, extinguished. If you master that element, you could counter every spell, or even prevent them from being cast altogether." This was the final drop that blew Louise's mind, from one moment to the other she went from Louise the Zero to being the most legendary mage in existence, so Midas decided to finish the lesson there and let the girl digest what she learned for the rest of the day.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

I was wondering if you'd prefer longer updates released over longer periods of time or should I continue on my weekly-ish schedule of 2k to 3k word updates. I have started a poll at my profile page; feel free to drop your preference.

On another note, should I continue with the western honorary titles (lord, miss) or should I switch to Japanese honorifics (-sama, -san)? And yes, Midas will always remain somewhat formal, even with Louise.

Thank you all for the interest you have showed, see you all on the next one!


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMERS AND SUCH….**

"**Dungeons & Dragons" and "Zero no Tsukaima" in all their forms are the intellectual property of their creators/owners with whom I have no affiliation.**

**Though I am confident in my use of it, my mother tongue is not English, so any corrections to mistakes that make it past me are welcome, I wish for my writing to be as enjoyable as possible and I know how distracting spelling errors in particular can be.**

**This is a fanfiction crossover of "Zero no Tsukaima" and "Dungeons & Dragons" (Rulesets 3.0 Ed and 3.5 Ed).**

**Chapter 4: ****THE NEW TEACHER**

With Louise absent, Midas decided to take a stroll at the courtyard and observe the pairs of mages in training and their newly summoned familiars, hoping to encounter a particular pair that drew his attention the previous day.

"Oh my! Not to imply that yesterday's mysterious style was in any way lacking Lord Midas, but today you look absolutely… ravishing" Kirche said in a sultry tone, giving extra emphasis to her last word. He turned to face the well endowed, chocolate-skinned, red-haired beauty closing slowly the distance in what was her most seductive way, her reptilian familiar following at her heels.

"I don't believe we have been properly introduced, I am Kirche Augusta Frederica von Anhalt-Zerbst, the Passionate, of the Germanian Empire, but my friends call me just Kirche, very excited to make your acquaintance, my Lord" she said with a low, elegant curtsy that allowed the prince a very clear view of her cleavage. "If there is _anything_ I can do to make your stay in the Academy more... pleasant, do not hesitate to ask." She looked suggestively at those crimson lenses obscuring his eyes below his helmet.

"Thank you for your kind words miss Zerbst, your offer alone makes me feel more at home" Midas recognized her for what she truly was; needless complications that could lead to nothing but trouble. Still, he reasoned, his presence there was to familiarize with the people and gather information so he resisted his initial urge to distance himself from the woman. "I heard you referring to your familiar as a salamander, but it looks quite different from the salamanders I am accustomed to."

"Now now, my Lord, did I not tell you my friends call me Kirche?" She said pouting, disregarding entirely his admittedly weak attempt to change the subject. Moving as silently and gracefully as a cat, she grabbed Midas' arm and pushed it between the mountainous breasts she was so proud of. The automaton almost switched to combat mode having his arm immobilized by such a sudden and effective maneuver, but he realized this was another attempt at seduction rather than an aggressive action.

"Are we friends, miss Zerbst?" Midas insisted

"Well, there are various degrees of… intimacy. I wouldn't mind if we became more than mere friends" Kirche was playfully teasing his shoulder with a finger while maintaining her death grip on his massive biceps with her other arm. Midas on the other hand was perplexed, he couldn't find a way to extricate his arm without resorting to outright hostile, combat action.

"For today miss Zerbst, I am more interested in learning about the magic of your world, would it be too much to ask for a demonstration?"

"So, you want to see some fire magic? Wouldn't you rather stoke the flames of passion with me?" Kirche played her last card, one that had never failed her, whispering the last words to where Midas' ear should have been under his helmet.

"As tempting as your offer sounds, I'd rather leave it for another time." Kirche's eyes went wide and she froze, there has never been a man capable of refusing her advances in the past, but today, she had without a doubt, lost in her own game. This only made her more determined to seduce Midas, a worthy challenge in an otherwise series of unremarkable, easy conquests.

"Well, if you want my Lord to see magic, I'm going to show you magic!" she said with a smile and a newfound determination as she made her way to a large tree near the external wall of the Academy. "Could you follow me over there to that tree?" Midas walked after her, but suddenly stopped when he got a glimpse of a blue, leathery wing. The dragonling from the previous day was there behind the tree, probably along with its summoner and he was not going to walk into that encounter without being prepared; he discreetly withdrew two potions from his inventory, the **Potion of Heal **he didn't deem necessary to consume the previous day, during his meeting with the Headmaster, and a **Potion of Greater Invisibility**, holding them hidden in his clenched fist.

"Taaaaa… Biiiii… Thaaaaa!" The woman said as she flopped herself down on the soft grass, besides a petite, blue-haired girl that was reading a book under the shadow of the tree using her familiar blue dragon as pillow. Both the dragon and Tabitha looked at the redhead, acknowledging her presence before the first went back to napping and the second returned her attention to her book.

"Tabitha, will you do me a very small favor?" Kirche said rolling on the grass to look the girl in the eyes.

"Lord Midas here wants to see some magic, can you help me show him something… extra special?" A glint in her eyes could be seen for a moment. Hearing that, Tabitha closed her book, got up and turned around to face Midas who was standing behind them while the young dragon looked at him in a clearly hostile manner.

"Tir ti xihood ghergo ir, si jatil thric levnim ekess wux usv dout plisoiv" (_Do not worry young one, I mean no harm to you or your mistress_) Midas spoke causing the dragon to recoil back, now in full alert mode of the automaton in front of it.

"Tabitha" the blue-haired girl said while bowing to him.

"It is good to make your acquaintance miss… Tabitha. I am Midas of the Mthrillheart Clan" he replied. "Vur svabol ornla dout ominak qe, ghergo ir?" (_And what would your name be, young one?_) he addressed now the dragon. Tabitha didn't recognize the language the prince was using, however her familiar seemed to know it and through their mental link, she understood what he was saying.

"Sylpheed" She answered Midas' question in her typical, emotionless way.

"You speak Draconic miss Tabitha? With dragons being as exceedingly rare as they are in Halkeginia, I didn't think anyone would know their language"

"You mean this is the language of the dragons?" Kirche interjected. "If they are so rare, then why would anybody bother learning their language?"

"While it is true dragons are rare in Halkeginia, I come from a different place, one where they are quite numerous. As a representative of my people, I had quite a few dealings with dragons in the past, luckily most of them peaceful in nature." He clarified, his eyes following every move Sylpheed made.

"Sylpheed not a threat" Tabitha said as she moved back and patted her familiar's head to calm her down.

"Forgive my reaction, it is just that all chromatic dragons I have ever met in the past proved to be little more than beasts full of malice and hate and in every single case, the situation devolved to a fight of life or death." Hearing this, Sylpheed let a low growl at Midas her eyes squinted to slits. "I am not as single minded to assume dragons are the same everywhere, though your familiar miss Tabitha seems quite agitated whenever she's near me."

"You smell of dragon blood, she says" Tabitha plainly replied.

"I suppose I would, I was engaged in combat with a dragon when I was pulled into your world by Miss Valiere. Still, I do not harbor negative sentiments for all dragonkind and I am willing to allow your familiar the benefit of doubt. I only request that you do the same for me, Sylpheed" Hearing this, and under the tender ministrations of her summoner, the young dragon seemed to calm a bit.

"So, if I turned into a dragon, would you show me the same attention my prince?" Kirche wouldn't mind it so much being left out for another girl, but she couldn't bear the idea Midas would show more interest to a familiar, even if it was her best friend's dragon companion.

"I believe you, Miss Zerbst, still owe me a demonstration" Midas said in all seriousness, causing Tabitha to throw her strange looks. After a few minutes of frantic explaining, Tabitha nodded in agreement and both girls walked on the open field, some distance away from their tree. Tabitha started first, pointing her large, wooden staff at an empty spot, a twenty-meter tall tornado appearing out of nowhere. Immediately Kirche pointed her own wand towards the tornado and just like a glass being filled with water, the tornado began turning red with flames from its bottom, quickly moving upwards until it became a swirling column of flame. The two mages, straining under the concentration required, managed to sustain the flaming tornado for twenty seconds before it finally dissipated into smoke.

The automaton focused his attention on the spectacle, analyzing the effects of the spell before him:

* * *

system: function "spell_1 analysis" start

Brimiric element: wind

expression: cyclonic vertical movement

power rating: level 1

threat assessment: none

system: function "spell_1 analysis" end

* * *

system: function "spell_2 analysis" start

Brimiric element: fire

expression: gradual flame infusion

power rating: level 1

threat assessment: none

system: function "spell_2 analysis" end

* * *

system: function "spell_3 analysis" start

Compound spell: fusion of Spell_1 and Spell_2

Brimiric element: wind and fire

expression: cyclonic vertical flame movement

power rating: level 4

threat assessment: minimal

system: function "spell_3 analysis" end

* * *

"That is actually not bad..." Midas said as he examined the second scorched patch of ground for the day. "You combined each of your individual elements to create an effect that is greater than the sum of its components." he continued as he looked at the two mages. "This is telling of not only your skill but also the bond you two share with one-another; only with a deep understanding of your partner's abilities and unshakable trust in them, could you possibly achieve such well-balanced result." The two girls looked at each-other for a moment, then at Midas. "Still it is quite an inefficient use of energy".

"And how would you make one of the most powerful combination spells more energy efficient?" Colbert couldn't help holding back while he was watching his students' interaction with the automaton from some distance.

"With the same amount of power a greater area of effect could be covered by implementing a horizontal, parallel to the ground wind current, instead of a cyclone, maybe even swipe to either side to cover an even larger area." Both students and the professor stood there asking themselves why they hadn't thought of that themselves. Of course the result wouldn't make for such a spectacular display as a tornado of flames, but the spell's destructive potential would be focused where needed instead of twenty meters above ground.

"This sounds like a great modification to our spell, what do you say we go practice that new horizontal flamespread Tabitha?" Kirche turned to her partner full of motivation. The girls, followed by their familiars swiftly disappeared from view, leaving Midas alone with Colbert.

"It seems you have a gift for teaching Lord Midas" the professor admitted. "Have you ever considered making more out this gift of yours?"

"There have always been other priorities I had to consider first." Midas looked at the teacher. "But enough of that, I take it our meeting here was not a coincidence?"

"Actually, the principal has asked to see you at your earliest convenience."

"Shall we go then professor? I'd hate to keep the headmaster waiting" He once again allowed his cape to encircle him entirely just like it was the previous day.

"If you don't mind my asking, Lord Midas" Colbert tried to make small-talk as they walked, "Is there any significance in the change of your attire?"

"This is a somewhat uncomfortable subject. You see, when miss Valiere... summoned me here, I was engaged in combat, so my various possessions at the time were limited to armaments, provisions and a few oddities I picked through the course of my mission. I still carry a great deal of currency on my person but I am unsure whether Mithrillheart-forged coin can be used for trade in these lands and if so, at what value. However, even if I could purchase or have been otherwise provided a few suitable sets of garments, tradition dictates that I must remain ready for combat until the final outcome of my mission is made clear beyond any shadow of doubt." He explained.

"This does not resemble any kind of armor I am familiar with." Colbert remarked.

"We of Mithrillheart, pride ourselves for being the best craftsmen in Faerun, and among all the crafts, metalworking is our best. We have devised a method to produce solid metal artifacts with leather or ever textile-like flexibility. This is what my armor, including my cloak is made of." The automaton explained...

At Osmond's office, the duo were greeted by the headmaster's secretary and swiftly led inside.

"Please, be seated Lord Midas" Osmond welcomed him while standing behind his desk. The seat offered caught Midas' attention, instead of yesterday's wooden, velvet-cushioned chair, one that was deliberately of lower quality than the principal's without failing to be comfortable, there was now a luxurious leather armchair similar to the one Osmond used behind his desk. "You must be wondering why I asked for your presence here so early in the morning" the principal continued while Midas took his seat.

"I do have an idea" the prince responded. "Seeing as you have sent your subordinate to observe my actions on the courtyard..." Both he and Osmond landed their stare at Colbert who shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "I can't say I blame you though, from your perspective I am an unknown element, it would be negligent of you to let me be... unmonitored".

"Thank you for your understanding Lord Midas. Now let me make my position very clear before we begin. I do not mean to be disrespectful or confrontational, however my first duty is towards the students and the Academy entrusted to me. If you think this could conflict with your agenda, I would be more than happy to arrange for a relocation, there are plenty of noble houses nearby that would be honored to have you as their guest." A chill ran down Colbert's spine when he looked at the headmaster, there was no sign of the smiling, merry Osmond he came to know him after all these years, instead there stood a man with adamant determination and the presence of a mountain.

"As I have stated this morning in front of the entire academy, headmaster Osmond, I have no intention of disrupting the function of the academy. I simply wish to make the best of the... _mistake_ that brought me here and I believe such an undertaking can prove beneficial for all of us." Midas looked intently at the principal when uttering the word "mistake", which seemed to affect Osmond for a single moment.

"It is good to have this out of the way" Osmond was now clearly more relaxed. "Now then, we need to address a few other matters, none of them urgent, but I would think the sooner we do so the better." he looked at Midas who responded with a single nod to continue. "You stated that as a representative of Mithrillheart Clan, you wish to open diplomatic relations with the nations of Halkeginia. The matter of the fact is that most governments will require some sort of verification of your claimed capacity." It was evident Osmond was trying very hard to choose his words to avoid insulting Midas.

"While that may not be possible until a way to communicate with my people is established" he responded, "I do carry on my person several artifacts that can support at least some of _my claims_" Midas deliberately used the principal's expression. He then place on the desk several gold and silver coins. The gold coins were about seven centimeters in diameter and were encircled by a hair-thin ribbon of a silver-colored metal like a protective casing to the soft, malleable gold, while the silver ones had a diameter about five centimeters. At their center, both types were hollow, a small green crystal gem placed tightly within the gap. The coins' circumference bore small geometric indentations, giving them the appearance of cogwheels, in fact, when Colbert, curious about their shape, brought them together, they fit perfectly and turning one of them passed on the motion to the other. One side bore the inscription of a number, probably their value, and the other the crest of Mithrillheart, a hammer and an axe crossed above an anvil.

"These are the standard coins my people use, their value determined by the amount of cogs they bear; the large gold coin is a seventy two cogs, the silver is a forty eight cogs, though their composition is not entirely of the aforementioned metals. You may take one of each to have their value appraised if you wish." He then placed on the desk another item, a goblet barely five centimeters high, too small to serve any practical use. The cup was carved of a single piece of crystal, all the colors of the rainbow seemed to dance within it. It was supported by a pure silver base fashioned as a young tree, its branches gently but securely, hugging the crystal cup. The small goblet was radiating with a warm light that seemed to soothe the heart of all who rested their eyes on it. And all eyes in the room were inadvertently drawn to the little artifact, everybody realizing this was a magic item of great power.

"This is a **Chalice of Life**. It is one of the rarest and most valuable artifacts in all of Faerun and one of the most sought after creations of my people" Midas said, his voice full of pride. "The spell stored in it will be triggered once its owner takes lethal damage, restoring him to full health, after which, with its magic exhausted, the Chalice will crumble to dust. It takes months of hard work and a tremendous amount of resources for just one of those artifacts to be created. I possess several other items of great value and utility, like the scroll I showed you yesterday, though I don't think I need to reveal them all to make my point clear, which is that at the very least, I come from a prominent family." He said as he took the small goblet and hid it back under the golden cloak of his, much to the dismay of a pair of yellow-green eyes.

"I would very much like to see more of these artifacts, if you don't mind Lord Midas" Colbert said eager to learn more of the wonders produced in this other world the automaton came from. Osmond on the other hand remained silent in his seat deep in thought as he contemplated the implications of what he'd been shown.

"I will be returning them later then" the headmaster picked two of each coin, then continued: "What about your mission? Are you at liberty to talk about it?" Osmond didn't want to leave anything to chance.

"My father sought to exterminate an aquatic dragon responding to a call for help from the allied free city of Waterdeep. Apparently for the last couple months the dragon was preying on the trade ships coming from their port as well as the fishermen from the nearby coastal hamlets. I was part of this expedition and along with another two companions..." The automaton explained as he collected the rest of the coins from Osmond's desk.

"I don't understand..." miss Longueville interrupted. "I though your father was the king of Mithrillheart clan?"

"I never used the word king to describe my father. The people of Mithrillheart instead of following the hereditary rule, choose their leaders from those who are _proven_ both capable and willing to contribute. My father was chosen as the First on the Council of Elders, the Head of the State if you will, for his numerous achievements in the field of battle, at the workshop and as a healer. I myself have also earned my place besides him in the Council in a similar manner and among the populace I am indeed regarded as his heir. The fact that one possesses a seat at the Council does not mean however that this will remain so forever, one needs to keep proving themselves in order to remain in power. Father and I never abandoned our adventuring ways, we simply seek to further the interests of the Clan while doing so since we undertook those responsibilities."

"That is an interesting concept" Osmond looked thoughtful. "So this Council of Elders, it would be the equivalent to a gathering of the nobility, but chosen by the people for their contributions".

"And the First on the Council, as Head of the State, he would be the equivalent of a king, if my understanding of your governing system is accurate" Midas added. "Anyway, as I was saying, after an eventful travel under the waves, we reached the dragon's abode and engaged in combat with him, but before the battle's final conclusion, I was brought here".

"You mean to say your people have a way to travel underwater!?" Colbert was once again shocked hearing the tales from this, in his eyes, mythical land.

"There is a druidic sect that scout and maintain underwater pathways in exchange for a small toll. At set intervals through those pathways, they plant and cultivate special vines that grow out of the seabed and reach all the way to surface, their stalk being hollow, allows travelers to breathe air and they also sell maps of said routes" the automaton explained.

"Your world, Toril, sounds like no place I have ever heard Lord Midas. Perhaps when we discover a way to it, I'll take the chance to visit it" exclaimed Colbert.

"As you said, Lord Midas, confirmation of your status is impossible until we have a reliable way to at least communicate with your world. But I see you as a well-educated person and one who has been blessed with wealth befitting royalty. I see no harm in informing Her Highness, Princess Henrietta of your presence here and your desire to open diplomatic relations, but the final decision will ultimately be hers and I hope you understand I cannot risk endangering my nation by trying to influence that decision."

"Of course headmaster Osmond, after all I don't expect to sign trade treaties and alliance pacts from the first encounter, I understand how politics work; I simply wish to make a first appearance and announce the existence of Mithrillheart in a distant world." Midas didn't hesitate to reply. "On another note, I would like to be informed of your plan to reverse the summoning ritual that brought me here"

"I have been put in charge of that project Lord Midas" Colbert began. "I am in the process of gathering any relevant material regarding the summoning ritual, though the truth remains, that this spell does not belong to any of the four elements and is not well understood; the fact that it is performed only once during a mage's life and that it has never, until now, occurred a reason to reverse the process does not help either. I am afraid it will take some time to see any kind of progress" He admitted.

"I see. Perhaps a comparative study between the runes of the summoning spells used in my world and those of your ritual might provide some insight. I have found a few of those runes to bear some similarities. I would be willing to lend you one such scroll for analysis, but I need your assurance it will be returned to me intact" The automaton addressed Colbert as he covertly retrieved a scroll containing a basic summoning spell from his inventory and held it in the open. Colbert looked at Osmond who in turn nodded affirmatively, before he accepted the scroll in his hands.

"You have my word Lord Midas, this treasure will be returned to you as it is now" The professor solemnly swore.

"If you need any clarifications about the meaning of the runes on the scroll, don't hesitate to ask professor, after all, I too wish to return to my world as soon as possible. Now, I if there is nothing else, I would like to resume my rounds on the school grounds". Midas stated.

"About that, Lord Midas, I couldn't help to notice how you interacted with two of our brightest students earlier" Osmond began. "I was wondering if you would accept a position as a temporary instructor here at the Academy. I believe both the students and the academy in general would benefit greatly from your insight and guidance."

"You do understand that the magic practiced in Toril falls outside the confines of Brimiric magic and as such may cause trouble with the Church and Romalia in particular, so I am unwilling to spread it into these lands, especially since my intention is to form good relations rather than becoming a friction point." The prince said. "Taking that into consideration, I wouldn't be opposed to teaching in your school, if you still think the students would benefit from it"

"In that case, you can work with professor Colbert to schedule a curriculum Lord Midas and submit it for review" With that Osmond ended the meeting dismissing Colbert and the automaton.

**Author's Notes**

Here you are, a chapter significantly longer than I'm used to, but also significantly more delayed. I have to admit, now that I am actually attempting it, that writing is a lot harder than I initially thought, but I still welcome the challenge. Post your thoughts with a review and see you on the next one.


	5. Chapter 5

**DISCLAIMERS AND SUCH….**

"**Dungeons & Dragons" and "Zero no Tsukaima" in all their forms are the intellectual property of their creators/owners with whom I have no affiliation.**

**Though I am confident in my use of it, my mother tongue is not English, so any corrections to mistakes that make it past me are welcome, I wish for my writing to be as enjoyable as possible and I know how distracting spelling errors in particular can be.**

**This is a fanfiction crossover of "Zero no Tsukaima" and "Dungeons & Dragons" (Rulesets 3.0 Ed and 3.5 Ed).**

**Chapter 5: ACADEMIC RESEARCH**

"It has been two days!" Vulna smashed her palm on the table. "Two days and we don't even know where Midas is?!"

Although the group were in a private room, the sound carried outside startling the other patrons of the "Everfull Tankard", one of the better inns in Waterdeep.

"Excuse me, is everything alright?" the innkeeper's daughter knocked lightly on the wooden door.

"Aye, everything is fine, we apologize for the commotion" Furin immediately answered the concerned call.

"Calm down Vulna, Midas can take care of 'imself, he's smart enough to know when to fight and when to keep 'is 'ead low, I'm sure he is doin' fine" the aged dwarf tried to calm the fuming minotaur. "Aeldroth an' I 'ave been working to find a way to contact 'im, it won't be long till we 'ave news."

"Well, if you two haven't taken your _sweet time_ after we returned from the Sunken Palace, we'd already know by now!". Aeldroth shot a weary look at Vulna who was now nervously pacing the length of the room.

"You are unfair lass, we were all badly 'urt an' exhausted after we took down that dragon, without 'ealing an' rest, what'd you expect us to accomplish?" Furin didn't raise his eyes from the thick book he was studying.

"We were all hurt, but you remember who was hurt the most? It was Midas, aren't you worried about your son?" Vulna sat on a chair and held her head in her palms with a deep exhale.

"If any can survive an' adapt into an unknown place, there'd be none better among us than Midas. You can't help 'im if you despair, you should 'ave faith in your friends, missing or otherwise. There are precious few people who can claim to be half as experienced plane-travellers as Aeldroth, I'm sure we'd 'ave it figured out soon enough" Aeldroth followed Furin's words with a reassuring nod towards the cowgirl, who seemed to calm down a bit.

"I just feel so powerless, you have your magics and your research, but I can't do anything to help. Aaaah! Fine, I'll see if I can help with dinner, please yell the moment anything comes up". She said and went to the inn's kitchen mostly to distract herself from her worry.

* * *

It was afternoon when Louise finally decided to exit her room. She had spent the time thinking of what Midas had told her in the morning, about her one, original spell not being a failure, about _her_ not being a failure. She found herself feeling quite optimistic, having raided the kitchen to silence her growling stomach (she had missed lunch after-all) she was now on her way to the courtyard for some much needed fresh air. There she spotted her new mentor, Midas in discussion with Colbert, but she was too far away to make out what they were talking about. After a moment of hesitation, she decided there was no harm in closing in on them, and if the opportunity presented itself, ask Midas a few questions.

"The headmaster asked me to give you an advance of your monthly wage so you can settle yourself in and make whatever necessary purchases. Are you sure about it though? I mean no matter how prestigious a position as an instructor is, it commands nowhere near the authority of a prince" the teacher handed Midas a small pouch, the distinct sound of clinging coins escaping it as the automaton accepted it with a nod.

"That is not to say I abandon my duty as... well... the _prince_ of Mithrillheart clan, but I would rather be recognized with a title that, in time, I could justify as my personal achievement here in Halkeginia instead of one in a world that is more or less irrelevant to you" the automaton replied.

"In that case, welcome aboard _Professor_. Lessons will star as scheduled the day after tomorrow, or do you need more time?" Colbert caught Louise's approach at the edge of his vision.

"You are going to teach your magic at the Academy Lord Midas?" Louise perked up overhearing the discussion between the two.

"I should do something productive with my time, besides, I cannot remain in the care of the Academy indefinitely. I won't be teaching magic however but tactics instead. Oh, and one other thing: since I now am an instructor, you may address me as professor instead, in fact I would prefer that you do so. Now, I recently came to quite a bit of fortune..." he shook the pouch producing a jiggling sound from within. "Would you join me in an outing to the nearby town for some shopping tomorrow morning? I must confess I am in dire need of a guide".

Louise's face brightened as she looked at Colbert with round sparkling eyes silently asking for permission.

"You don't need my permission to participate in an activity of another teacher of the academy" the balding mage chuckled.

"I would be delighted to guide you to..." Louise turned to Midas with a radiant smile but before she could finish her sentence, the automaton turned and walked away. It was then she noticed two men in worn armor, each holding a spear escorting a buxom, dark-haired maid to the courtyard's gate, where a horse carriage was waiting with another two guards nearby.

"May I ask what is going on here?" Midas intercepted the trio just as they were arriving at the gate. The maid, which Midas recognized as Sierra, remained silent and kept her eyes on the ground. Hearing the commotion outside a lean middle-aged man dressed in colorful, flamboyant clothes exited the carriage twirling his long, thin mustache.

"To think a simple trip to hire a new maid would allow me to meet such a distinguished dignitairy as you your highness. I am count Mott the Wave, honored to make your acquaintance, prince Midas of Mithrillheart" the man said with a theatrical bow not knowing of Midas' disdain for the title "prince" everyone insisted on calling him. The automaton had read enough of the feudal governing system of the country and the rights it gave to nobles over the commoners to understand what was truly going on, this man was out hunting for a new concubine. Realizing that his presence might have provided the count with an extra incentive to be there, this afternoon, he felt responsible for the fate of the girl.

"Hiring a maid? Miss Siesta, I though we had an agreement" he took great care to sound genuinely surprised as he turned to the brunette. "Are you dissatisfied by the terms of your employment as my personal assistant?" Both the count and the maid were equally shocked hearing this.

"If she does not desire to serve under you anymore, my Lord, I cannot be blamed for claiming her for myself" Midas had to admit, the count recovered faster than he expected. He looked at Siesta who trembled with fear hearing the count's retort, the terror plain as day in her eyes and he was immediately convinced for his next course of action.

"It seems count Mott, we both make a claim on the same person. How is such a dispute resolved between a count and a prince in these lands?" Even though he disliked being called prince, he wouldn't shy from using every weapon in his arsenal to achieve victory.

"Well, seeing as these lands are part of my fiefdom, my Lord, I traditionally have the right to employ any of its inhabitants, I am merely exercising the rights provided to my noble title by the crown of Tristain" The count was trying to support his claim in a roundabout way, hiding behind a power he hoped Midas was unwilling to challenge.

"I thought the Academy grounds and the surrounding lands were autonomous, governed by the school's leadership instead. But let's not get stuck to technicalities, I may have a way to solve this in an amicable way" The count's face turned sour hearing Midas. "How about a sparring contest, to the winner go the spoils?". The count's heart jumped hearing that, though he had no idea of Midas' capabilities, he was a triangle mage and was confident that he would not be defeated by anybody except the most powerful mages in Tristain.

"I wouldn't dare raise my hand against you Lord Midas..." he started saying, trying his best to sound sincere and epicly failing to do so.

"You need not worry, we are both capable warriors who know when to cease a futile fight, I am confident we won't come to the point of causing our fellow contestant an injury. Besides, I am curious about Tristain nobility's command of the Art" Midas quipped condescendingly trying to provoke the count, even though he truly meant that last part. By that time the students were starting to form a crowd around the scene and the count thought he would look weak in front of the heirs of so many noble houses if he insisted in refusing Midas' challenge.

"Very well, let us seek a solution through combat Lord Midas, where and when should our duel take place?" Altough it was the challenged who would decide the place and time of the duel, he thought he would look magnanimous by allowing his opponent to choose instead. Besides, he would still have at least this night with the maid.

"How about here and now? We are equally unprepared, since none of us expected such turn of events when leaving our home, so none would hold any unfair advantage" Midas was starting to really dislike the sneaky ways the count sought to have his way.

"Very well" the count resigned himself. He didn't believe he would lose, but he feared incurring any injury that would prohibit him from spending the night with the maid, so he was less that enthusiastic to accept these terms; he knew however that he couldn't refuse without damaging his reputation. By now, all the students and most of the staff were present forming a circle around the two combatants, curious about Midas' abilities.

"Are you sure about this Lor... I mean professor? Count Mott is a powerful triangle mage that specializes in high power offensive water spells. Wouldn't it be simpler to let him have the commoner?" Louise looked concerned dismissing entirely Siesta's existence.

"Don't worry, this will be... educational. Consider it the first lesson in my new capacity as an instructor in this academy" Midas was looking at his opponent as he uttered these words. "Do you need to make any preparations, Count Mott?" He addressed his opponent as he took his position on one side.

"Thank you your Highness, It'll take only one moment to get ready" Mott smiled as he used his magic to create a small natural spring, clear water flowing from it. "I am ready, we can begin now" he said with a grin on his face. Naturally if a mages' favored element was absent from the field, the mage would have to make a source for it during the duel, with all the ensuing consequences such a non-combat action would cause, so many thought less of the Count for doing so before the duel's start.

"Then begin whenever you are rea... ...dy!" Midas had to pause his words for a moment to jump out of the way of an icicle aimed at him. Before he managed to land, a wall of water was launched towards him. He activated his **"Defensive Stance"** ability, experiencing a dramatic boost to his physical attributes and defense as he braced himself to make impact with the roaring tsunami and disappeared from view within the foaming water. Siesta's face lost its color with worry and Louise looked only marginally better waiting for the flood to subside.

"How kind of you to provide a shower, now if only I had a bar of soap..." After Mott's cheap-shot, Midas didn't feel obliged to keep up the pretenses, his provocation coming clear from within the retreating waters, infuriating the Count.

"If you think you can weather this storm, you are welcome to try it!" Mott bellowed as he launched wave after wave of ice and water, combining them every so often with a sudden gust of wind.

"If that is the best you can do, I could just stay here receiving your... _attacks_ until you run out of magic" A small chuckle escaped the automaton alongside the word "attacks". Though there was truth in his statement, as Midas received no damage from the assault, his goal was to make the count spend his magic recklessly. While his **"Defensive Stance"** ability was active, Midas became significantly stronger, tougher and faster, with a greatly enhanced defense, but he couldn't move outside a small area, his defensive perimeter; With no way to approach Mott without canceling his stance and spending later another use of his ability, he wanted the count to keep attacking. His plan seemed to work and after five minutes the sheer volume of water could have filled an Olympic size pool. Count Mott seemed to have difficulty breathing by that point, though his willpower reserves were nowhere near depleting, his physical endurance was all but spent after his spellcasting frenzy. Throughout the entire fight, Midas was merely defending himself by narrowly moving out of the incoming magic while also analyzing the spells flung at him, none of which exceeded in power the equivalent of a typical level 1 spell from his world.

"It seems magic isn't getting us anywhere, count. Perhaps we should try close quarters combat instead?" Midas finally satisfied with the results of his investigation on magic abilities of the average Halkeginian mage, deactivated his **"Defensive Stance"** and nonchalantly closed in the distance between them as every jaw in the area dropped at the spectacle.

"He said he was facing against an aquatic dragon at the moment of his summoning, then it stands to reason he has the means to repel water-based attacks at the very least" Colbert tried to rationalize the outcome, drawing the stares of everyone who heard him, including the count's.

"Bah, any second rate mage can deal with a drake, what's so special about that?" Mott's attempt to deny the implications of what he heard wasn't very convincing.

"I don't think that it was a simple drake, it most probably was a sentient sea dragon of some sort" Colbert thought back to Midas' interactions with Tabitha's familiar before replying deep in though, without noticing that he had engaged in discussion with the count.

"A sea serpent?! What kind of monster are you?!" Count Mott took a few uncertain steps back from the approaching terror.

"Now, count, there is no cause for such derogatory words, all you have to do is leave the Academy to its own devices for the foreseeable future and I shall do the same for you for an equal amount of time. Or we can move to close quarters combat and finish this… duel" That last part carried the promise of a great amount of hurt and shame, this was clearly Midas' last offer for a less embarrassing conclusion to their bout.

Mott looked around him, searching for a sliver of hope with no success, watching Midas steadily reducing the distance between them despite his best effort to keep as far away as possible.

"I yield!" he said finally raising his hands in resignation. "You may keep the maid in your employ Lord Midas" he muttered barely audibly. Siesta's soul-wracking worry was instantly replaced with a smile as bright as the morning, in fact, despite the now setting sun, the area around her seemed to be unnaturally illuminated.

"Too bad, I was just about to attack, I hadn't had the chance to do so through the course of our fight yet." The realization that he was defeated by an opponent who didn't even make a single offensive move send chills down the count's spine.

"Now I trust, there won't be any more similar incidents in the future." Midas issued his warning looking directly into his eyes. If the automaton's previous statement had caused Mott to shudder, this threat drenched him in cold sweat with a sense of impending, unavoidable doom. Without saying a word, he entered his coach and swiftly left the area. One of the count's rear guards, after making sure he was outside of his boss' vision, bowed to Midas before returning to his formation. After the carriage was no longer in view behind a bend in the road, Louise approached Midas.

"I never thought you would be so impulsive Lo… professor. How would you have made good on your promise to me if you got hurt?" Louise was shaken but also relieved with the outcome.

"I am eternally grateful to you Lord Midas" Siesta bowed deeply. "But please, don't expose yourself to such danger for one such as me". Seeing the brunette address her tutor in such a way didn't sit well with Louise, especially since the buxom maid was particularly gifted in an area that was the source of some of her greatest insecurities.

"I was merely acting on my capacity as an instructor, protecting the academy's interests" Midas dismissed their concerns.

"You challenged a noble and mage, risking limb and life for a commoner! How could that be for the academy's benefit?" Louise couldn't hold herself back anymore, the idea of the privileged nobility sitting so higher than the commoners too deeply ingrained in her mind.

"A teacher's first and foremost responsibility is to his students, but it is not the only one. They also have to extend their protection to their fellow staff and the school's facilities and grounds. Who would you expect, miss Louis, to defend the school in case of a bandit attack for instance?" Hearing this Louise froze. Did Midas compare his position to a mere maid's? And a commoner's no less! She didn't know how to react, but on the other hand, she couldn't deny the truth of her teacher's words; in a state of emergency, she would expect the instructors to defend the academy as a whole, the servants included. The helping staff that were present though and Siesta in particular were overjoyed at Midas' words.

With the main attraction now over, the crowd began to disperse talking about what they witnessed. Louise turned to head to her quarters escorted by Midas, when she noticed they were being followed by Siesta.

"We wont be needing you any more, go... clean something" the pinkette was gritting her teeth as she dismissed Siesta.

"I am Lord Midas' personal assistant" The maid replied puffing her chest in pride with that permanent, bright smile on her face for yet another victory of hers over the standoffish noble. So intense was the tension between the two girls, everyone along their path made way, expecting hell to break loose at a moment's notice.

"It's _PROFESSOR_ Midas per his own request! Shows what you know about your employer." Luckily the trio arrived at Louise's room before the bickering could escalate anything more serious.

"Let us part ways here miss Valiere, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow" after a considerable period of silence her instructor finally spoke.

"I'm looking forward to our trip to town tomorrow, professor" This time it was Louise's turn to assume a grin looking straight at the maid as she said those words.

Siesta was now shadowing Midas, on their way to the guest quarters in silence. Her heart was beating irregularly, her face was flushed red and she was dying for an excuse to make small-talk with her saviour, but she couldn't come up with anything.

"Lord Midas, I truly apologize for inconveniencing you in such a way"

"Inconveniencing? Is that what you think happened there?" The automaton stopped walking and looked at the girl. "On the contrary, miss Siesta, you provided me with the perfect opportunity to gauge the strength of a Brimiric mage, even if you had not intended to" He resumed on his way with the maid in tow.

"I don't understand... you had a different reason to fight the count?" Siesta was struggling to understand what he was telling her.

"I needed to know the capabilities of the noble mages, inevitably I would have found myself into a fight against a local spellcaster, you simply gave me my chance" he answered in a matter of factly.

"So, it was only incidental that I was saved, an afterthought of your planing..." the maid cast her eyes down on the floor. "The fact doesn't change my Lord, your actions saved me from a terrible fate and I am forever in your debt" She swiftly returned to her merry self.

"Then miss Siesta, I will be relying on your help in the future" they reached his room and he promptly entered. "Now if you excuse me, I need some time to review the day's events, we will speak again soon" Siesta curtsied and closed the door as she left.

Once alone in the room, Midas replayed in his artificial brain the fight in slow motion, analyzing in depth every spell as well as his opponents reactions.

system: function "Spellpower pool potential" start

1st_spell power output: level 1

113th_spell power output = 72,83% of 1st_spell power output

Total number of spells until Spellpower exhaustion: Approx 437

*Depending on casting frequency and spellpower regeneration rate

system: function "Spellpower pool potential" end

"It seems mages here have a high potential but are limited by the nature of their individual spells in the amount of that potential they can access at any given moment. This flaw is too blatant to have passed unnoticed, there must be a reason it has not been addressed for more than 6.000 years. The somatic component of casting is also considerably higher, more than capable to lead to physical exhaustion." he mulled over his discoveries. He then filed his concerns into his memory banks for another time and went to rest for the night.

**Afterword**

Inspiration is a fickle mistress, sometimes she gives and gives without end and othertimes she refuses to even look my way. Still, I don't believe there is a single person here that's not after her affection. Fellow victims of our beautiful, cruel mistress, drop a comment of your experiences with her.


	6. Chapter 6

**DISCLAIMERS AND SUCH….**

"**Dungeons & Dragons" and "Zero no Tsukaima" in all their forms are the intellectual property of their creators/owners with whom I have no affiliation.**

**Though I am confident in my use of it, my mother tongue is not English, so any corrections to mistakes that make it past me are welcome, I wish for my writing to be as enjoyable as possible and I know how distracting spelling errors in particular can be.**

**This is a fanfiction crossover of "Zero no Tsukaima" and "Dungeons & Dragons" (Rulesets 3.0 Ed and 3.5 Ed).**

* * *

**Chapter 6: ****SWINDLERS AND ROBBERS**

It was a couple hours before dawn when Midas went back online after another repair cycle completed, again using his self-healing ability **"Wholeness of Body"** immediately to push his current HP to 150 out of his 316 maximum. At this rate, he estimated it would take him slightly more than 3 days to make a full recovery, provided he didn't incur any serious damage in the meantime. Deciding to stick to his routine, Midas walked out heading to the library once more when he noticed a person, apparently female by her silhouette, stealthily moving from shadow to shadow. While the stalker was doubtlessly skilled, with his advanced sensors the automaton could pinpoint a mosquito buzzing 50 metres away in complete darkness. Once he reached the library's door, he kept walking past it, to avoid having it damaged in case his silent follower opted to attack him, instead heading for the nearest exit to open ground.

"Since I am here…" Midas reached into his extradimensional inventory space and retrieved a small bronze telescope which he turned to the sky looking for any identifiable stars.

"Where does he get all his toys?" the stalker muttered silently, still believing that the automaton was unaware of her presence

"It seems we always meet at this hour of the day Lord Midas" Siesta greeted him. Despite her delicate build, she was effortlessly carrying a large wicker basket full with freshly washed clothes.

"Good morning miss Siesta" Midas was holding on his hand the small bronze tube that drew the maid's inquisitive eyes. "I was planning to search the sky for any familiar stars, maybe determine this world's location relative to my own." He explained noticing the maid's interest in the spyglass, as he extended the telescopic mechanism. "Have you ever looked at the stars through a telescope before miss Siesta?" he offered the maid while he took hold of her load with his other arm. Siesta couldn't refuse accepting the telescope, so she inadvertently released her grip on her wicker basket. For the next few minutes they walked side by side, Siesta stargazing and Midas explaining the various star types she was observing while carrying the basket on his shoulder, until they reached the place she was supposed to set the clothes to dry.

After putting the basket on the ground, Midas took back the telescope and turned it towards the sky.

"I was meaning to talk about a matter that's been in my mind since we first met miss Siesta but I didn't know how to approach the subject without offending you. If at any time I make you uncomfortable, fell free to stop me" he said while the maid was now placing the laundry on vertical poles. "It's about your appearance, while atypical for the residents of Tristain, and Halkeginia in general from what I have read and observed, I have met many people in my world that carry similar characteristics, most of them hailing from the eastern lands of Kara-Tur" Midas was now dividing his attention between the stalker, who was not showing any sign of hostility for the time being, and on Siesta for any kind of reaction. Hearing this, the maid paused her work for a minute, then resumed again.

"Kara-tur? No, that's not the name he used... My great-grandfather came from another world, he called it... Nippon I think?… He also had an… _atypical_ appearance" she admitted timidly. "He came from the sky, riding on a metal dragon and spoke of a great war that engulfed his entire world. According to his stories there were horseless armored carriages that spewed fire, dragons in the sky hunting each other, massive iron fortresses roaming through the oceans." Midas was skeptical for a moment.

"This doesn't sound like any war I have ever known of. What happened to the dragon he was riding? Perhaps it knows how they got here, and possibly how to return…" Siesta was reminded that Midas meant to return to his homeworld and her heart sank. She had come to greatly enjoy his company and felt indebted to him.

"I know where the dragon is my Lord, but I don't think you will find answers there" she lowered her gaze to hide her guilt for feeling relieved saying that.

"All the same, if it is not too much trouble for you miss Siesta, could you take me to this dragon sometime? I would like to see for myself the being that traveled through worlds." Siesta was reminded why she felt that way for Midas, any other noble would just order her to do their bidding, but not him, he not only came to her aid in her time of need but also made respectful requests instead of giving orders. Such a simple thing as treating another as a person, yet so very valuable and sorely missing from their society.

"You didn't tell me which star you are looking for my Lord" Siesta attempted to change the subject.

"I am looking for lighthouse-stars, stars that flash bright and dark at set intervals" He said. "Each of those lighthouse-stars has their own unique timing between flashes, one only needs to know their frequency to identify them. I need to spot at least three of them, to calculate this world's location in the material plane and determine the bearing and distance from my world."

"You can do that just from looking at the stars?" Siesta's question lacked any kind of enthusiasm.

"The universe is full of mysteries and equally full of answers, one simply has to know where to look for either of them" One of his father's sayings seemed appropriate for the occasion.

"Lord Midas…" The maid had just finished her work and turned to look Midas in the eyes. "When you return to your home…" she hesitated. What was she to Midas she wondered? When he saved her, did he do it for her specifically or was it part of his general duties? Would she still matter if either of them ceased working for the Academy?

"This won't happen for quite some time, and it is my hope that there would eventually be a permanent, reliable way to travel between our worlds" Though Siesta realized that half of it was wishful thinking and the other half was appeasement, it was enough to bring a big smile to her lips; At the very least she did matter enough for him to assuage her worry.

"Well, the sun is soon rising so there won't be any more astronomical observations today" Midas folded his telescope and returned it to his inventory. After the two of them parted ways, the automaton went on to a spot near the walls where a circular building with a diameter of 15 meters was under construction. The building was divided into two relatively equal sections, in a similar fashion as an ancient Greek theatre, the one half sporting several rows of seats arranged in semicircles, the ones further back being raised higher, the other half was a stage. Behind the stage, a rectangular room was attached to the otherwise perfect stone circle. The entire building seemed to be made of a single piece of rock, something that could not have been possible without the use of magic. This was intended to be used as Midas' classroom, as he had requested a space suitable for lectures and sturdy enough to withstand the casting of offensive spells. It was built at a distance from the other facilities to avoid disturbing the students with the explosions and whatnot, and a small room was also provided as a personal workshop for Midas. Professor Chevreuse, leading a small team of earth mages had managed to erect this building in a single day, and by noon they were expected to complete it.

Satisfied with the progress of the construction and impressed by an equal amount by his shadow's patience, who was still tailing him, he made his way back to his room to prepare for his trip to the town.

A couple hours later with the sun peeking over the eastern horizon, he went to the stables.

"Good morning Professor" Louise greeted him with a smile.

"Good morning miss Valiere. It is a great day for a trip" Midas inspected the wagon and more specifically the axles, bow-shaped mounts and wheels finding them barely sufficient and noticing a weird shadow nestled below the cargo section, at the back of the vehicle. Feigning ignorance to the presence of their stowaway he boarded the carriage, which tilted to the side, the metals screeching under his weight drawing surprised looks from both the driver and his pink-haired co-passenger. Midas made a note to upgrade the coach before using it again in the future. As the horses picked up a steady pace, the automaton's attention was focused on the shadow underneath the carriage, ready to spring to action the moment the stalker made her move.

"So, is there something specific you wish to acquire professor or is this only a recreational trip?" Louise made small talk to pass the time.

"There are a few items I could use, let me make a list of them." Midas took a piece of parchment, wrote on it a small message and passed it to Louise along with his quill. "Regardless of obtaining them though, this is a perfect opportunity to observe life outside the Academy".

The young mage looked at the message and her eyes went wide.

"I'm sure you have seen a longer shopping lists, there's no need to react like that miss Valiere" Midas chuckled. "If there is anything you wish to buy, feel free to add it to the list". Louise composed herself once more and scribbled something on the same piece of scroll, then returned them to the automaton.

"I wouldn't worry too much if we don't find everything in time, we could always go our separate ways to cover more ground" he cheerfully joked. The rest of the trip went on uneventful, two hours later they were in town. As per Midas' request, the duo first visited a weapon store.

"Welcome, welcome! Take a look around, we have everything you could ask for and then some, maybe a jeweled dagger for the young lady?" the round shopkeeper, probably a retired soldier or adventurer judging by his muscled arms and scarred face, invited them in. All kinds of weapons were strewn in the place, their sizes ranging from skinning knifes to polearms.

"Is this the entirety of your selection? I am looking for something... special" Midas approached the counter.

"These are the most popular items, but I may have a few exquisite pieces in the back that I make available only to those who can appreciate the craftsmanship" the shopkeeper wore a wide smile on his face.

"I would like to see your best sword and perhaps have a weapon in my possession appraised afterwards" the automaton placed his order.

"Of course good sir! I will only need a moment" The owner disappeared behind a door in the back and shortly after returned holding a broadsword; its hilt was golden adorned with gems and the straight, double-edged blade was a pure, spotless shiny silver.

"This sword is the work of the fabled Germanian artisan Sir Spee. The blade will cut through steel like paper and will never break or need sharpening." the shokeeper's proud voice reverberated within the clamped space.

"Allow me to gift it to you professor" Louise's eyes sparkled as she laid them on the shiny blade. Midas held the sword in his hand and took a few swings with it.

"I thought you carried quality weapons here" he said disappointed, surprising both the shopkeeper and his student. "The handle is painted iron, the gems are mere pieces of glass, the sword is very poorly balanced and the blade..." He grabbed the blade with his free hand applying some force and... snap! It broke like a dry twig. "If I went to a life or death fight holding this... weapon, I'd be sure to lose my life. You are not trying to kill me, are you?" Midas' voice now was deeper, threatening, causing the round shopkeeper to sweat.

"I... I don't understand... this isn't what..." he stuttered.

"How dare you, a commoner, treat like this Prince Midas! I Louise Zero de la Valiere will mete out justice for this insult!" Louise interrupted the now trembling shopkeeper and pointed her wand to him.

"Let's not go that far miss Valiere" Midas diffused the situation. He then turned to the shop owner "We should let the town guard handle the matter instead"

"Please milord, not the guard! Here, take whatever you fancy for free as recompense instead, but don't ruin my bussiness, I beg you" the owner was now crying on his knees.

"Under one condition: You will never again sell ornaments for weapons, I expect you to be honest henceforth in your dealings. And I'll take this too" He placed on the counter a rusted old sword he picked from a nearby barrel with second-hand equipment.

"Anything you want milord, thank you, thank you!" The shopkeeper said

"I will keep my eye on you, should you fail to keep your end of our agreement, I _will_ be back" he was warned as his customers left the shop.

"Professor, there is one thing I don't understand, why did you take that rusty sword? There should be _some_ weapons of better quality that this." Louise asked her companion pointing at the sword after they left the shop.

"I am quite a skilled weapon maker if I may say so myself miss Valiere and I feel confident in my ability to discern a good blade. This here is a sentient weapon as we call them back home and, although its physical form has been greatly deteriorated, it's still a half-decent sword by Mithrillheart standards."

"So you saw right through me did you?" A voice came from the rusted blade startling Louise. "I knew something was different about you when you entered the shop, but I also felt like something was off, missing somehow. My name is Delflinger, destined to once more be held by the legendary familiar Gandalfr."

"That explains a few things" the automaton replied. "I am Midas of the Mithrillheart Clan, summoned from the world of Toril by miss Valiere" he pointed at his student who was now standing in shock besides him.

"What do you mean legendary familiar Gandalfr?!" Louise noticed that she had raised her voice and her face turned red as she looked around.

"Wait, you are a... familiar?!" Delflinger imitated Louise's reaction of surprise.

"While I have been summoned, I have not been made into a familiar Delflinger. When Louise is ready, I promised her to provide the means to get a familiar of her own, in my stead" Midas resumed his walk through the town's crowded roads. "Ah, here we are, let's hope the apothecary is better at his work than the arm's dealer." In front of them there was another shop with a sign of a wide green leaf and a potion bottle on it. The company spent the most part of the day going from shop to shop, examining their wares and making some purchases. Midas would also ask for some of his items to be evaluated, and in all cases the appraisers would look at them astonished by their quality. By the end of the day, they had collected a number of samples from various shops as well as several miscellaneous things like several different types of ore ingots, gems, a glass orb, some books that drew the automaton's attention, articles of stationery etc.

With Midas' funds nearly depleted and the sun nearing the mountain peaks at the west, it was now time to make the return trip. After loading the sack with the day's harvest, Midas once more inspected the carriage, and found their stealthy passenger waiting for them under the wagon. If she was to take action, it would be at the middle of their trip Midas thought, expecting them to be exhausted by the day's activities. The first half of the journey home went without an incident, the sun now was a crescent receding behind the mountains setting the white clouds on fire. Suddenly the horse neighed and the carriage came to a stop, then it was raised from the ground. Midas picked Louise in princess carry style and jumped off the coach within an instant, then looked at the front where the driver had also left his seat and was now safely landed on the ground. Behind them a six metre tall earth golem was holding the wagon in the air while the two horse were struggling to retain their balance.

"Took you long enough" he said as he let his charge on the ground and moved towards the golem. The earthen construct let the carriage go, which bounced lightly on its wheels before coming to a stop. Both of its massive arms fused together into a pillar of rock and came down, intent on squashing Midas, but the automaton simply sidestepped avoiding the powerful but relatively slow strike while still moving forward. With a sudden acceleration, Midas almost disappeared from sight and delivered a kick on the golem's knee obliterating it entirely, the momentum carrying Midas behind his opponent. With its great weight imbalanced, the golem tilted to the side and crashed into a pile of rock and dirt.

"Why don't you come out to play instead of sending your toys? After all, you must be bored out of your wits all day long". Louise questioned her sanity, she thought this was some sort of weird, drug-induced dream having witnessed Midas one-shotting a huge earth golem, then taunting a carriage.

"And I thought you would be easier to rob than that vault at the academy, and a bigger haul too... But it seems you knew all along? When was it that you first noticed me?" A female figure clad in a dark green cloak and wearing a mask on her face emerged from under the wagon, her voice distorted to protect her identity, though it still came melodiously feminine.

"Before the dawn hours when I first left my room" Midas saw no reason not to be honest with her. "You are quite talented at stealth and infiltration, it just is a shame you didn't receive the appropriate training. Or perhaps you consider this" he pointed to the small pile of earth next to him "as your strong point instead. You really thought _that_ would be enough to defeat me? That I would be easier to crack open than a simple, non-reciprocating vault?"

"Big talk from a small man. When you return naked to the academy, tell them it was Fouguet the Crumbling Dirt that robed you" She jumped into the air, another golem forming below her upon which she landed and was carried on its shoulder.

"I already have demonstrated my ability to deal with your _magic_ _fueled_-constructs, Fouguet" Midas was looking at Louise when he said that. "Unless you assault me with more than just one, how do you plan on dealing with me?"

"Oh, I don't know... maybe like THIS?!" the golem moved to grab Louise instead but Midas didn't move, he had given enough hints to his student. Louise, realizing she would have to defend herself, pointed her wand to the golem, but where was she supposed to aim her spell? The arm was one obvious target, but would she have time to do the same for the other arm too? This time around the golem's legs were not so wide apart, so losing one of its legs wouldn't cause it to crash to the side, at least not without further push. In a split-second she made her mind, she cast her explosion magic on its torso trying to focus the power on the void element instead of the explosion itself. A dent appeared on the golem's chest but more importantly, the flow of magic was disrupted inside the earthen construct causing it to crumble unceremoniously into yet another mount of dirt.

"Fouguet the Crumbling Dirt indeed. As for you miss Louise, very well done, I knew you would not disappoint. Now, I believe there is a price on your head, Fouguet, for numerous robberies. How about I have you make a contribution to my purse?" Midas started advancing once more to his opponent. Seeing as she was between as rock and a hard place, Fouguet dropped a small ball to the ground that released a large cloud of black smoke obscuring her from vision. Despite the smokescreen, Midas watched her as she hid within a hole she magically opened nearby, covering it afterwards with a thin crust of soil.

"Don't tell me this simple trick fooled you, partner?" Delflinger whispered to Midas suspecting he had an ulterior plan.

"Of course not, but I think we might have more use of her in the future, she was able to push Louise past her limits, perhaps we could have her repeat the deed once or even a few times again" he whispered back.

"It is safe now" he addressed the driver that was hiding in a bush. "Do you think you can get us to the academy in time for dinner?". For the poor driver, this was the most exciting and frightening thing he had ever experienced in his life, he looked at Louise who was gasping for air trying to calm her tense nerves; Yet the prince was concerned about dinner of all things as if nothing had happened.

"Y… yes milord, if we leave now, I think we can still make it in time" he said feeling Midas' stoicism infect him as well...

**Afterword**

**I need to apologize for the long wait, I could tell you I lost the flash drive I use to work on my story but a simple backup could have solved that.**

**Yes, Midas is looking for pulsars; so what if they radiate in the x and gamma ray spectrum? This is a fantasy story and Midas is an automaton.**

**Some of you may have guessed it, the note Midas passed on Louise was a warning about their stalker.**

**Now a little insight on Midas' skill distribution ****(with ability bonus modifiers added)****:**

**Craft Weapon :20 ****(He is a weapons expert, both when it comes to crafting and appraising)**

**Heal :21 ****(He knows where to strike to kill or incapacitate)**

**Listen :23 ****(Sneaking around him isn't the brightest idea, superhuman hearing)**

**Lore :24 ****(His databanks store a large amount of information that is never forgotten unless intentionally deleted)**

**Spot :23 ****(He can observe even the most minute of details, superhuman vision)**

**Tumble :23 ****(he is an incredibly skilled acrobat, if he doesn't want to be hit, chances are he won't)**

**The rest of his skills range between -2 and 3 depending on ability modifiers**

**That's all for now, see you at the next one**


	7. Chapter 7

**DISCLAIMERS AND SUCH** **"Dungeons & Dragons" and "Zero no Tsukaima" in all their forms are the intellectual property of their creators/owners with whom I have no affiliation.** **Though I am confident in my use of it, my mother tongue is not English, so any corrections to mistakes that make it past me are welcome, I wish for my writing to be as enjoyable as possible and I know how distracting spelling errors in particular can be.** **This is a fanfiction crossover of "Zero no Tsukaima" and "Dungeons & Dragons" (Rulesets 3.0 Ed and 3.5 Ed).**

**Chapter 7: OFFWORLD REPORT**

As soon as the carriage passed the gate of the Academy's wall, Midas jumped off, the suspension system raising the passenger compartment, relieved of a great weight.

"I am going to inform the headmaster of today's happenings" he stated to the coach's passenger.

"I'll come with you Professor" Louise volunteered. "The principal may have some questions for me too".

"No miss Valiere, you should go have dinner, you are a growing lady after all". Louise subconsciously looked at her chest before realizing that her mentor didn't mean anything specific about her insecurities and she directed her stare to the wagon's floor, her face turned beet-red. Midas pretended not to notice and walked away towards old Osmond's quarters.

The automaton knocked on the wooden door and after a voice acknowledged him he entered the headmaster's office.

"Welcome back professor Midas" Osmond said. "How has your excursion to the town unfolded? Quite adventurous if my information is to be trusted."

"You've been keeping an eye on me I see. We had a run in with Fouguet who thought I would be an easy target. With miss Valiere's help, we thwarted her attack and learned of her intent to rob the academy's vault. It is possible she hasn't given up on her original plan, so I came here to warn you."

"Thank you professor but there's really nothing to worry about" the headmaster inclined deep into his chair. "The tower hosting the vault if reinforced by a multitude of wards placed by square mages, Fouguet as a triangle earth mage, simply does not possess the means to break through those protections. The nation's treasures are quite safe where they are, I assure you".

"In our case, she created six-metre tall golems to attack us, I managed to destroy one and Louise destroyed the other. Even if she fails, I am still concerned about the disruption her attempt could cause to the academy." the automaton insisted.

"I see your point. Very well, I will raise the security level until princess Henrieta's visit next week. Osmond conceded.

"Why would the next in line for Tristain's throne come to the Academy at this time? The response to my presence here I was expecting, was that I would be summoned to the royal court instead; Unless there is another reason for her visit as well..." Midas looked at the headmaster.

"It is as you say" He admitted. "Every year after the summoning ritual, a member of the royal family visits the Academy. It is customary that the second-years have their familiars perform before the royal guest to demonstrate their abilities. Will miss Valiere be participating in the familiars' demonstration?"

"I suppose she won't, it is too soon for her to use the summoning scroll. Perhaps in a couple months' time she'll be ready. Well, it's the first day at work for me tomorrow, I best retire and prepare my teaching material" the automaton pretended to be wound down. "I take it the new facilities are finished and read for use?"

"They certainly are. Fell free to inform me if there is any modification needed" The headmaster smiled. With that Midas left the room with a small bow.

After inspecting the amphitheatre, Midas entered his personal workshop at the adjacent room and started arranging the various items he procured that day on shelves and a few others from his own inventory. He then proceeded to fiddle with some of those items and several hours later he had created a weird device, a metal coil forming an arch over a circular stone base, with a crystal sphere floating still within the coils, at the highest point. Within the sphere there was a constant flow of runic symbols snaking in a dizzying pattern. Satisfied with his work he returned to his quarters to rest for the night.

Midas woke with the first rays of the sun invading through the windows. After performing his usual morning ritual, he went straight to his workshop to inspect his device. He found the glass orb clear of any runes, moving inside the metal coil from one side to the other like some kind of inverted pendulum. The device that was placed at the furthest corner of the room was emitting tremendous amounts of heat giving its solid stone base a glowing red color. The automaton retrieved a recently purchased metal ingot and placed it on the stone disk under the coil. A few moments later he was hammering the red-hot piece of iron giving it a thin circular shape with a slight inclination to its centre similar with that of a gong or a gigantic dinner plate. The hours went by until a light knock on the door roused Midas from his work.

"My Lord, the students have started gathering in the class" Siesta opened the door and was met with a wave of heat that caused her to gasp and take a step back.

"Thank you miss Siesta, I am finished with my preparations here" The automaton emerged carrying a large wooden box and an even larger iron plate that barely fit through the doorframe. The amphitheatre was choke full of people, all of the second-years who were in his class were seated in the front, but there were also students from other classes and years, a few members of the teaching staff including professor Colbert and the headmaster and even some of the commoner servants. Apparently rumors had spread about Midas and some had come in hopes of witnessing otherworldly strange magic and enchanted items of great power while others came simply out of curiosity or their own personal reasons. Midas took his place on the stage with Siesta standing behind him in the corner trying to make herself as small as she could.

"Thank you all for coming here today" Midas looked at the students of his class as he laid down the items he was carrying. "The first thing I wish to inform you is that attendance to this class will be strictly on a voluntary basis as it is somewhat of an experiment. The Academy's management has graciously agreed to decide at a later time on the permanency of the course after evaluating the potential benefits derived. The classroom will always be open for everybody, but the focus will be the second-years under my care. Now, as for the subject, we will be exploring the deeper intricacies of both the Brimiric elements, or classical elements as they are referred to in my world, in general, as well as their application through individual spells. I realize such a description may sound vague if not outright confusing, so I prepared two examples." With this the automaton placed at center stage the large metal plate and poured in it a golden liquid out of a bottle he had taken from the wooden crate. He then threw a long piece of cotton cord into the liquid.

"Let's start with fire" he turned to the class while raising his right hand. He closed the hand into a fist and his metal reinforced glove was immediately wreathed in searing blue flames, then he simply touched the surface of the liquid setting it ablaze before the flames on his hand died out. "What is the best way to counter fire?"Every single person looked confused wondering if this is a trick question.

"You must all be thinking of water, but is water effective against all types of fire?" He continued. Some of the commoners at the back began whispering among themselves, but other than that, Midas' audience looked still utterly confused.

"The Founder, Great Brimir teaches that water is the polar opposite and bane of fire" a young female student with golden hair styled in long Victorian ringlets stood up and announced.

"Miss Montmorency, since you are a water mage, would you care to put out the fire?" The professor extended his hand to help her onto the stage. Montmorency didn't expect to find herself on a stage in front of so many people, but she didn't let that discourage her. She pointed her wand towards the blazing plate, that was turning red by now, produced some water then launched it into the fire. Suddenly the flames roared and expanded in every direction, as if they were a caged beast seeking to escape, eliciting gasps of surprise from the audience and a few muffled chuckles from the back rows. Guiche stood up from his seat to run to the young mage's side but a nod from Midas, who already had shielded Montmorency with his cloak, stopped him in his tracks, a frown on his face for losing this chance to play the white knight. Eventually the flames returned to their original intensity.

"Miss Siesta, care to extinguish the fire?" Siesta was startled hearing her name, despite being his self-proclaimed personal assistant, she didn't expect she would actively participate in Midas' class. She looked around scanning the area, then unhooked the heavy drapes from a nearby window. She looked to Midas for permission as she held the heavy woolen fabric and after he nodded affirmatively to her, she covered the enflamed plate with it, asphyxiating the fire below.

"Fire requires fuel and air to burn. Oil-fueled fires burn so hot, that they can consume even water, such fires are best dealt by denying them air. This is something that every cook has faced at least once and knows very well. My point is, there is knowledge to be acquired even in the most humble of activities, and that knowledge may turn to bring great benefits. Armed with this piece of knowledge in particular, a fire mage could create a flame that would grow fiercer with the application of water or wind and earth mages could learn how to extinguish fires using their own respective elements" The teacher concluded. The mages present started discussing the implications of what they learned while the servants nodded approvingly at Midas' words.

"The universe is full of mysteries and answers, one simply has to know where to look for either of them" Siesta murmured as she now understood a bit of Midas' saying from the other day.

"Thank you for your help miss Montmorency and I apologize for the scare" Midas looked at his audience.

"This concludes the first of the two planned demonstrations, the second one has a heavy dose of improvisation as it deals with specific, individual spells and I will need another volunteer for that…" His eyes scanned the students for a moment. "Mister Gramont, since you so valiantly offered your help earlier, why don't you come on the stage? Every practitioner of the Art has a favorite spell, what is yours mister Gramont?" He asked once Guiche had hopped on the stage.

"If I had to choose one, I'd say my bronze Valkyrie" Guiche responded trying his best to sound comfortable and cool. With a wave of his rose-shaped wand, a petal was detached and as soon as it hit the ground, a metallic golem in the form of a female warrior wielding a lance emerged from the earth. Midas was not impressed, the golem was barely holding together, clearly most of the spell's focus was on form rather than function.

"Do you mind if I spar for a while with your construct to get a feel of its abilities?" The automaton asked hoping that maybe his first assessment was mistaken. Guiche didn't say anything, his golem charging towards Midas in full force; he had witnessed the teacher's performance against count Mott, so he didn't see a reason to hold back. The earthen construct thrust its lance aiming at its opponent's neck but Midas easily caught the incoming speartip with his left hand and with his right hand delivered an open palm strike on the Valkyrie's abdomen shattering it.

"When I fought Fouguet yesterday, she seemed unable to use more than one golems at any given time, though she was capable of creating more after the previous one's destruction. Is that the same with your Valkyries?" He inquired.

"I can control a lot more than just one" Guiche responded with another wave of his wand, this time several petals falling to the stone floor giving birth to five new Valkyries. To the mage's surprise, Midas was the one charging against his small army this time, the constructs tried to fight him off but were summarily destroyed in mere moments under the relentless rain of practiced strikes from the automaton.

"That is enough mister Gramond, I now have a better understanding of your spell's capabilities" Midas ceased his attack as the last of the Valkyries disappeared. "I could share my findings with you here in public, in the presence of your classmates only or in private if you prefer"

"Let us discuss it in private then" Guiche looked nervously at the crowd of people that had gathered, though he expected Midas would be victorious, he'd hoped his golems would have faired better and didn't want to seem weak in front of them.

"Well then, class is finished, I will be available to answer any questions you may have in a while and I do hope to see you on the next one. Now mister Gramont, if you would join me in my laboratory" The automaton placed a hand on Guiche's shoulder leading him to his workshop, which by that time was sufficiently ventilated from the heat.

"I will be as brief as I can" Midas offered a chair to his student and then sat across him with a low table between them. "As constructs, you Valkyries are physically weaker than the average adult man; my personal belief is that you have placed too much importance in their form. What intrigued me more however was the fact you could command more than a single one at a time. Would you like to describe me how you do that?"

"They can follow simple orders such as attack, withdraw, move to a specific position" Guiche started. "I can also take full control of one, imagining that it is me fighting and replicate my moves".

"Your constructs mister Gramond have no decision-making abilities which leaves us with one possibility. You consciously take full control of one Valkyrie and control the rest of them subconsciously. This would be in accordance with my own observations, one acting deliberate and with a clear plan, while the rest of your Valkyries just react instinctively, in a more feral, animalistic way."

"So, what use is that to me other than bragging rights? Which I imagine you would be opposed to, right?" Guiche asked trying to make sense of the revelations.

"There are two ways you can improve your golems' efficiency" the professor continued unfazed. "The first is to improve their physical characteristics, which inexorably will come at the cost of their appearance." Guiche winced at that, clearly unwilling to make that sacrifice. "The other way is to improve their reactions, which in essence are the projection of your reactions. So the more efficient you become in combat, the better your golems will become as well".

"If I understand you correctly, what you are suggesting is that if I get some combat training, my Valkyries will get benefited from it too"

"Exactly mister Gramond" Midas complimented his student. "You can take it even further by either changing the constructs' weapons to something you are more comfortable with, like a sword, or receive training in the use of the lance to match their weapon". Guiche remained silent, mulling over what he had been told.

"Thank you professor for your guidance, you can count on my continued attendance to your class" he said as he got up from his chair and shook Midas' hand.

Teacher and student walked through the door to find the amphitheatre still hosting alot of people, patiently waiting to ask their questions. Midas spent the next half hour giving vague answers to even more vague questions, most of them relating with the world of his origin. Finally with the question frenzy subsided and people leaving the classroom to resume their duties, he decided it was time to withdraw when he was approached by Colbert.

"That demonstration with the fire was enlightening and humbling at the same time" Colbert truthfully admitted. "I can't help but wonder what you discussed with young Guiche, but I understand that some things are best kept private"

"I just gave him a bit of advice on how to make the most out of his spell" Midas chose to be honest without revealing anything specific.

"What I really want to talk about professor is a reaction I detected late last night." Colbert said. "It was well past midnight and I was working on deciphering the runics on the summoning scroll you provided when my equipment detected… something… an exchange of energy I believe or perhaps a reflection. I couldn't locate its origin point, but its target seemed to be your workshop".

"It stands beyond doubt that my companions are looking for me and, by now, the should have realized I am no longer on Toril. This energy reflection your instruments recorded last night was them confirming my location, a fact I was about to inform both you and the headmaster after class. Beyond that however, we have not been able to exchange any information yet." the automaton confronted Colbert. "If it helps your research, I will gladly give you the location of Toril professor Colbert".

* * *

It was in the dead of night, some time after the clock tower had rang three times and not a soul was walking the streets of Waterdeep save for the occasional patrol of the town guard when a blinding flash of light erupted from the second floor of the "Everfull Tankard" and then just as quickly died out.

"I knew it was a bad idea to rent the entire floor to that dwarf and his weird companions, they better not have started a fire in there" the innkeeper was rudely aroused from his sleep.

"With that much coin, I say let them burn everything to ashes, now go back to sleep" The annoyed voice of his wife commanded. The innkeeper rolled his eyes in the safety of the bedroom's darkness and wondered for the nth time in his life what possessed him when he said "Yes I do" in front of the marital altar, but he new there was no defying her orders now and he promptly complied.

Did we do it?" An overexcited minotaur was jumping up and down. "Did Aeldroth's astral energy projection work?"

"T'would seem Midas 'as recorded a message for us but lacks the means to send it. We can provide from 'ere the power needed for Midas' transmission. I'll 'ave to support Aeldroth lest Midas' transmitter overheats and melts away, so you Vulna must write the message down."

"I'm on it!" Before she even finished her sentence, Vulna was sitting with a stack of parchment in front of her and a quill in her hand:

{This is Mithrillheart Integrated Defense Automaton System version 7.7 beta's report intended for Furin, First of the Council of Elders and Protector of the Mithrillheart clan. Any third party recovering it will be offered a reward should they be the first to forward it to it's intended recipient.}

"Hey, what gives? There's only gibberish following, I can't make anything out of this" the juvenile minotaur complained. Furin took a look at the message for a moment.

"He's encoded the message, clever boy!" He proudly said with a wide smile "Write down everything that comes through lass, I will decode the message afterwards. Oh, and the first sentence reads {I am fine and in no immediate danger}". With this the three of them proceeded to receive Midas' encrypted message.

**AFTERWORD**  
After three rewrites I still think this chapter feels forced but I can't delay it anymore.

On another note, for the next month or two, I will be on assignment away from home and I don't expect to have a lot of free time. I just though it would be better to announce the delay(s) beforehand than apologize afterwards.

I don't intent to focus on Midas' teaching anymore unless it is part of the plot, I just wanted to give you an idea of his teaching techniques.

Until next time then.


	8. Chapter 8

**DISCLAIMERS AND SUCH** **"Dungeons & Dragons" and "Zero no Tsukaima" in all their forms are the intellectual property of their creators/owners with whom I have no affiliation.** **Though I am confident in my use of it, my mother tongue is not English, so any corrections to mistakes that make it past me are welcome, I wish for my writing to be as enjoyable as possible and I know how distracting spelling errors in particular can be.** **This is a fanfiction crossover of "Zero no Tsukaima" and "Dungeons & Dragons" (Rulesets 3.0 Ed and 3.5 Ed).**

**Chapter ****8****:** **FIRE ****AND ****FIREARMS **

Midas was suddenly overcome by a feeling of danger and stopped right on his tracks, his **DEFENSIVE AWARENESS II** ability flaring up in expectation of a deadly sneak attack, activating all of his defensive abilities to either evade or, failing that, defend against the incoming strike. He thought that the Academy would be a safe heaven, yet whoever targeted him didn't think much of all these mages gathered in one place; that told the automaton his assailant was dangerous. Colbert turned around to question him about his abrupt stop only for his face to lose its color when his stare wandered behind his mechanical colleague.

"You where amazing on that stage darling!" A barely contained Kirche closed in with feline stealth and pounced on his metallic back wrapping her arms in a choke hold that would make any pro wrestler proud, her chocolate skin radiating an almost scorching red hot aura. "I knew the fires of passion flowed through your soul as well, but when you held that blue flame on your palm, that was so..._hot_!". Once again Midas was amazed by the woman's innate affinity for stealth and grappling techniques and made a mental note to attempt to cultivate her talents in the future if she proved receptive to it.

"Miss Zerbst, that is highly inapprop…." Colbert tried to chastise the buxom redhead.

"You have no idea how hard it was to hold myself back for this long" She said foiling her professor's attempt as she spun around Midas without releasing he hold of his neck in an impossible feat of flexibility, positioning herself between the two instructors and claiming exclusivity of her target's attention. "You must show me how you conjured that blue flame darling" She assumed the most seductive expression looking directly into Midas' eyes. Colbert's expression softened when he realized that Kirche was trying to learn some of Midas' tricks, a goal he shared with her and, though her approach did not enjoy his full approval, he was willing to overlook it in the prospect of gaining more knowledge.

"It is true that I haven't seen you commanding any of the four elements before professor, I must admit I too am curious" the balding teacher admitted while clearing his throat earning a bright, wide smile from Kirche. Tabitha, who was standing in silence behind them all this time also nodded affirmatively, something Midas didn't fail to notice. Seeing no way out of this, he disengaged himself from the half-distracted Kirche using his close quarter combat training and moved at a reasonable distance from the small crowd then raised his arm to eye level just as he had done on the classroom.

"This isn't magic as it is defined by Brimir's teachings, it is the ability to manipulate the flow of energy, the Ki, coursing within every living being... and some non-living ones". He said and he closed his fist and once again it was covered by blue flames. "Training in the use of Ki takes years, usually starting in the very early years of childhood and there are many monastic orders on Toril that focus on different aspects of the Ki. Initial stages in Ki manipulation allow one to improve their stamina, empower their unarmed strikes and harden their skin to reduce incoming damage, as well as expand their senses to perceive their environment in greater detail. Intermediate stages allow for direct conscious control of one's own body, for instance, a monk that can "force" his heart to keep beating becomes immune to most poisons and diseases. This added organ control allows for the skin to harden even more, as hard as metal, becoming impervious to attacks from simple blades and the bones to be nearly unbreakable. One also may learn limited control over the natural elements like I am doing right now." He ended his lecture as he dismissed the flames from his hand.

"Is this why your skin is like gold Lord Midas? You turned it to metal?" The ever inquisitive maid that was dutifully following Midas just a step behind Louise, asked.

"What about the higher levels of control? What would such a Ki practitioner be capable of?" Colbert made note of Siesta's observation but was too intrigued and apprehensive at the same time of this unknown power to wait for Midas' response to the maid's question.

"I have not reached such a level and since there are no other... Ki practitioners besides me in this world, I believe it would be a moot point talking about something you will probably never encounter." Midas obviously wasn't willing to reveal any more information about his abilities.

"More elements?" Tabitha finally broke her silence in her monotone that hid her curiosity.

"The Order of the Sun Soul, which I belong to, specializes in fire manipulation as it is the essence of the Sun" the automaton deliberately omitted divine and positive energy that fell outside what they were familiar with. "There are however several other monastic orders, not all of them focusing on the same element, thus covering a wide variety. Perhaps some time in the future this might be a subject of discussion in class".

"Every time we have a discussion like this, professor, my desire to visit your world is renewed. I guess I'll have to redouble my efforts in reversing... the summoning ritual" Colbert came to the realization in mid-sentence that perhaps his colleague was releasing only snippets of information at a time to have that exact effect on him, which was not too far from the truth. Of course, he reasoned, there was nothing wrong with providing extra motivation, especially considering their position as teachers.

"I'm afraid my schedule for the afternoon is full but we can arrange a meeting in the evening professor Colbert, if that's not too inconvenient, to discuss your progress and share ideas". Then the automaton turned to Siesta "Now miss Siesta, would that be a good time to visit the dragon you mentioned earlier?"

"A DRAGON?!" A chorus of voices came from the people gathered around, all eyes now focusing on the maid who was blushing furiously from the sudden attention but somehow managed to nod affirmatively to her employer.

"If you are going to visit a dragon, you have to take me with you" Kirche was quick to launch another attempt at hugging Midas, one which the automaton saw fit to masterfully evade, making her pout while Tabitha simply nodded and with a sharp whistle, called her dragonic familiar by her side and motioned to her.

"Well I'm coming too!" Louise stated in her high pitched voice, eyeing Kirche warily, clearly satisfied at her earlier failed attempt to once again hug her instructor.

"I appreciate your offer miss... Tabitha, but I might burden your familiar too much, if you could transport the rest of our party, I can follow you on the ground."

"You do know Sylpeed can fly, right? How do you plan to match her speed on ground? Perhaps we should take the carriage" A concerned Louise proposed.

"That wont be necessary miss Valiere, I assure you, I can keep up with Sylpheed. Just follow miss Siesta's directions to the dragon's location and try not to provoke him if you make contact with him before me."

"If there is any danger, I must insist you postpone this trip until we have more information on this dragon of Siesta's" Colbert's worry was clear as day on his face.

"Assuming it is a dragon from my world, he would already had gone on a rampage in all those years it spent here since it's arrival had it been a chromatic dragon, and the fact it allowed a human to ride it to combat are indications enough this isn't an aggressive dragon" Midas calmed the professor.

"There is no danger professor Colbert, I myself have visited the dragon a number of times as a child" With Midas' and Siesta's assurances Colbert stepped back though the worried look never left his face.

"Then I look forward for your return and a good story" He said. "And please, take care of the students" he turned to Midas as Sylpheed, carrying her blue haired mistress, Siesta, Kirche and Louise on her back, took off. The young dragon had no trouble to rise in the sky, and despite her load, she seemed to glide into the air as effortlessly as ever. Down on the ground, a golden blur leaving a trail of dust behind was closely following the dragonling's flight. Midas was making good use of his **MONK SPEED** and the **Ring of Haste** he had previously equipped, and with his heightened reflexes he had no trouble avoiding any obstacles in the grasslands, maintaining a speed impossible even to a horse.

* * *

"Captain! Something is coming this way, _fast_!" The scout shouted to the three other riders behind her.

"What is it?" Agnes barked. Their company was on a reconnaissance mission prior to the princess' visit to the Academy of Magic. Though banditry on the High Road was extinct, such a high profile travel required every security measure and the Chevalier de Milan took the princess' safety _very_ seriously.

"I don't know Captain, but it's way too fast to be a horse!" the scout's voice carried a hint of fear. "It must be a mage" Agnes said with clear contempt.

"Draw your firearms, we will stop them here" she said as she readied a musket decorated with gold trims all through its length. Her subordinates drew similar weapons and aimed them at the incoming source of the dust, waiting for their leader's further commands.

"HALT! In the name of the Crown of Tristain, identify yourself!" Agnes shouted as soon as she saw a golden glint, that was immediately overtaken by its own dust cloud as it stopped dead in its tracks.

"Captain, what is that?!" One of her companions asked looking at the human shadow inside the subsiding dust.

"There's no way a person can run that fast".

"Elven magic" Agnes muttered through clenched teeth. "No spell can do such a thing" Though she despised magic, or perhaps because she did, she had learned all she could about what mages were capable of, so she could best deal with them if the situation ever demanded it.

"Elves?! Here?!" One of her companions fired her weapon, the lead slug ejected from the gun's smooth barrel towards the shadow.

* * *

Midas spotted a group of four riders as his course approached the road. They were all women, wearing matching uniforms, possibly military, though one of them seemed more decorated than the rest, their obvious commanding officer and were armed with front-loading firearms and swords. All four of them seemed to be in their early twenties and they moved like a highly trained and well coordinated unit. As he closed in on the road, the patrol's leader shouted for him to stop, to which the automaton promptly complied. Then they started panicking, talking about elven magic and their scout fired her weapon on him. Luckily, smooth-barreled firearms are notoriously inaccurate, imparting their projectile with unpredictable spin each time and thus she missed him within the dust cloud. Midas, adhering to his training, charged his attackers with inhuman speed unwilling to allow them capitalize on the advantages of their ranged weapons. Ignoring the one who had already fired her gun, he positioned himself between the other two grunts bringing each-other within their line of fire. Exploiting their short hesitation, he assaulted the one on his left at the back of her neck with a **STUNNING FIST** leaving her unconscious on the road, rotated his body to the opposite side and with a well executed **DISARM** pushed the other back while depriving her of her weapon. The scout drew her sword just in time to receive an open-palm strike of pure concussive force on the chest, Midas' **KNOCKDOWN** sending her flying to the edges of the road where she landed with a loud thud knocking her out. He then turned to the last target, the pink-haired commander, rushing the distance in less than a heartbeat. Agnes was waiting for that and shot her weapon at point-blank range, her bullet hitting Midas right between the eyes leaving a shallow mark on his armored forehead and making him flinch and take a step back.

* * *

system: #WARNING# Incoming Attack Detected! #WARNING#

Function "Attack Analysis" start

Craft Weapon roll… successful

Weapon identified Weapon: Musket +1

Damage: 2d6 bludgeoning

Critical threat range: 19-20/*2

Effective range: 15 metres

Special: Slow reloading (execute one less attack per round; minimum attacks per round: one)

#WARNING# Natural 20 Critical Roll! #WARNING#

Incoming damage: 22 bludgeoning

Dwarven Defender Damage Resistance II: -6

Ring of Ironskin: -15 / Adamantine Damage

Sustained: 1 bludgeoning

Function "Attack Analysis" end

* * *

Midas' momentary staggering gave the opportunity to the soldier he had previously disarmed, to recover the firearm from her unconscious companion, which this time, she didn't hesitate to fire on his back. Thanks to his **DEFENSIVE AWARENESS II** the automaton reacted to the attack with a use of his **DEFLECT ARROW** ability and he managed to redirect the projectile to an open spot at the fields, though he could very well choose to send it back to his attacker.

Agnes often claimed that there was nothing she was afraid, yet this person concealed under his golden cloak reminded her of how much wrong she was. Watching her unit, her friends fall in battle, failing the mission entrusted to her by princess Henrietta and more importantly failing to ensure the princess' safety, was she even worth of being the captain of the Royal Honour Guard? That's what she caught herself thinking in the face of an adversary that seemed to have overwhelming power.

"This looks bad" she said as she drew her sword. "If this goes on, we'll be annihilated. Ride back and report to the fort. I'll hold him off for as long as I can" she ordered her last remaining able trooper. Before however the soldier even had a chance to acknowledge her orders, a shadow eclipsed he sun above them followed by strong wind gusts and a cloud of dust. The dragonling's feet had barely touched the ground when Louise jumped off her back and placed herself between Midas and what remained of Agnes' squad.

"Louise!? What are you doing here!? It's not safe-"

"What do you think you're doing Agnes?! Why do you attack professor Midas?" Louise's shrill voice pierced the ears with barely contained fury, cutting off Agnes' warning.

"Professor Midas?" Agnes repeated lost, it took a couple moments for her eyes to widen with realization. "You mean prince Midas of Mithrillheart?!". She felt her heart stop at the colossal blunder looking wide eyed at the golden automaton, even more since it was her party that initiated the fight.

"My troops" she managed to utter, torn between begging the prince's forgiveness and rushing to check on her subordinates but Kirche, Siesta and Tabitha were already over the unconscious soldiers checking their condition.

"There's no need to worry" Midas interjected as he relaxed his stance but still remained cautious. "I merely incapacitated them, they should come to shortly". Hearing these words, Agnes fell on both knees and bowed her head to the ground.

"Your Highness Lord Midas, I know I cannot apologize enough for my actions. I will accept any punishment you deem appropriate." She knew that such statement would probably mean her death, but she couldn't let this incident spread any further or, even worse, implicate the princess.

"Punishment? This was obviously a misunderstanding, Besides I imagine the crown wont look too favorably on a foreign diplomat seeking vengeance against one of their elite military units." Midas was well-informed about the Halkeginian noble families and once he heard Agnes' name, he knew exactly who she was. "I'd like to consider the incident resolved If you are willing to do the same" He took a couple steps forward and offered his hand to the still kneeling Agnes. The woman stood still for a few moments trying to gather her thoughts, this was a high noble in front of her, a prince, yet he not only dismissed so nonchalantly an unprovoked attack against him but he also offered his hand to help her up. How could anyone of this standing be so approachable and humble other than princess Henrietta? She hesitantly took the automaton's arm realizing any further delay would be exceedingly rude on her part and marveled as Midas with a firm grip lifted her to her feet effortlessly, as if she and her armaments weighted nothing.

"I know the surrounding lands are relatively safe, but why would Your Highness be traveling alone and on foot? Why has the Academy not provided a security escort for you? Or is it perhaps someone is chasing you?" Agnes tried to make sense of his appearance while at the same time checking on her soldiers, who were starting to recover under Tabitha's healing spells.

"No such things!" The professor chuckled in an amused way. "First of all, currently I am employed as a teacher in the Academy, and it is with this capacity I escort my students on a bit of an adventure." Seeing that the knight was not entirely convinced he continued "I simply chose not to overburden Miss Tabitha's companion since my speed on the ground is sufficient".

"Even so, please allow two of my best to escort you on your destination" She deliberately selected the scout to stay with her since she was the one that opened fire first against Midas.

"You said it yourself miss Agnes, the area is safe and I believe I have demonstrated my ability to cope with whatever hardships you couldn't account for. Besides, you do have a mission of your own to complete, do you not?" The automaton retorted.

"How do you know of my mission-" Agnes stopped suddenly realizing she had said too much.

"The princess' visit to the Academy is no secret and I would expect an advance party to operate in the area ensuring nothing goes astray" the answer came as naturally as saying the Sun rises from the East. "Now then, how about we resume our trip?" He turned to his students robbing Agnes of any opportunity to object.

"Are you sure professor?" Louise looked at Midas and then at Agnes unsure how to feel.

"We have lost enough time here, we need to increase our pace if we want to be back at the Academy by nightfall" Midas plainly said as the girls climbed on Sylpheed's back once more. "Do try to keep up" he said to the dragon in a teasing manner to which Sylphid growled playfully before launching herself into the air faster than an arrow out of a bow.

"I take it I wont be going to the fort then?" the only one of the female warriors still on horseback tried to lighten the mood.

"No!" her commander did not seem amused. "Go to the palace instead and tell the Princess all that transpired here. Use this ring and she will grant you a personal audience" She took off one of her rings and gave it to her as she watched Midas' figure becoming smaller in the horizon at an alarmingly fast rate.

* * *

Midas' warning systems had all gone red, immediately activating his in-built detection routines within a chaos of blaring internal alarms.

system: Function "Threat Detection" start

Spot check... Successful

Listen check... Successful

Approaching threat id: Kirche Augusta Frederica von Anhalt Zerbst

Intention: ... non-hostile

Threat assessment: ... Undefinable.

#WARNING# Extreme caution advised! #WARNING#

Function "Threat Detection" end

Somehow the automaton felt less prepared to deal with a non-hostile stealth approach from Kirche than an actual hostile attack from the aquatic elder dragon, Leviathan himself….

**AFTERWORD**  
Before anyone has a chance to whine: "Midas is OP, his equipment is OP!" bear in mind that he is a lvl 20 (max lvl) character decked to tank a friggin' elder dragon. Such heroes are the stuff of legends and villains the stuff of nightmares.

Every time I write a scene with Kirche, it is like the Muses themselves whisper in my ear and the words flow effortlessly. The thing is, in the anime(which is my primary source _of m_aterial) I don't even _like_ Kirche! Go figure…

As for the Musket +1, I know 2d6 is a lot of power for a ranged weapon, but the disadvantages in range and fire rate should balance it, I'm curious about your feedback. Regarding the damage of the critical roll, I believe I was a bit too generous, but how else is anything supposed to overcome our hero's defenses? I tried to be more detailed with action scenes this time, is my description alright or too geeky/technical?

Explanations (shamelessly taken directly from NWN Wiki and edited by yours truly) of the abilities and equipment used by Midas follow below:

**Ring of Ironskin: **Provides damage reduction of 15 HP for attacks made with any weapon of lesser than Adamantine quality (Which should be EVERY weapon on this world since they don't have starmetals).

**Ring of Haste: **a permanent **HASTE** effect on the wearer for as long as he wears it [+50% movement speed, +4 Armor Class, +1 attack per round (+2 if dual-wielding)].

**MONK SPEED: **A monk's movement rate increases by 10% for every 3 levels starting with level 3.

**DWARVEN DEFENDER DAMAGE RESISTANCE II:** At fourth level, the dwarven defender gains the ability to shrug off 3 points of damage from each blow or attack. At seventh level the damage reduction increases to 6 points of damage per attack or blow. (I went with the original NWN feat, not the nerfed down version of NWN Enhanced).

**STUNNING FIST:** A character with this feat can attempt a disabling strike with a -4 attack penalty and a -4 damage penalty. If successful, the target must succeed at a fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 the attacker's level + the attacker's wisdom modifier) or be held for three rounds. This attack may be used once per day for every four levels of the character. Monks receive this feat for free at first level, even if they do not meet the prerequisites. As well, monks suffer no attack or damage penalties when using this feat and may use it once per level each day.

**DISARM:** The character can attempt to disarm an opponent in melee combat. Attempting a disarm applies a -6 penalty to the character's attack roll, and the combatant with the larger weapon gains a +4 bonus per size category of difference. A successful hit deals normal damage, and if the opponent fails a discipline check then the weapon flies from the opponent's hands.

**KNOCKDOWN:** A character with this feat can attempt to knock his melee opponents to the ground. The character makes an attack roll at -4, and if successful the defender makes an opposed discipline check against the character's attack roll. If the character wins, the defender is knocked to a prone position. Monks receive this feat for free at level 6.

**DEFLECT ARROW:** The character can attempt to deflect one incoming missile attack per round. This is treated as a reflex save made against DC 20. Monks receive this feat for free at level 2.

**DEFENSIVE AWARENESS II: ** (I) The character retains his dexterity (and wisdom, if applicable) bonus to AC, even if caught flat-footed or attacked by a hidden or invisible creature. (II) The character can no longer be flanked, since he can react to opponents on opposite sides of him as easily as he can react to a single attack.

Until next time then, keep healthy!


	9. Chapter 9

**DISCLAIMERS AND SUCH….**

"**Dungeons & Dragons" and "Zero no Tsukaima" in all their forms are the intellectual property of their creators/owners with whom I have no affiliation.**

**Though I am confident in my use of it, my mother tongue is not English, so any corrections to mistakes that make it past me are welcome, I wish for my writing to be as enjoyable as possible and I know how distracting spelling errors in particular can be.**

**This is a fanfiction crossover of "Zero no Tsukaima" and "Dungeons & Dragons" (Ruleset 3.5 Ed).**

**After nearly two months on assignment, I returned home, so I hope once I repair my PC, updates will start rolling out more regularly. For now, I'll do what I can on my android ****tv-****box.**

**Chapter 9: IMPERIAL DRAGON**

It was nearly midday and the villagers, while generally a good-natured and merry people, were toiling on the wheat fields in very high spirits today with the smell of roast meat tingling their nose. The day before, a hunting group passed by the village of Tarbes, having hunted too many deer to comfortably carry them all to the town, they were desperate to sell some of their game before the meat spoiled. The villagers had gotten a great deal and spent the rest of the day skinning the animals, treating the leather and processing the edible parts for long-term preservation, still ending with enough extra fresh meat for a small feast. As lunchtime was nearing, the anticipation and excitement became palpable in the air; after all, it was not everyday commoners could enjoy such abundance of quality food. Anticipation and excitement that were evaporated in a single moment as a large shadow crossed their fields moving at great speed towards their little village leaving them instead with anxiety and fear.

"DRAGON!" someone shouted, invoking in their minds legends and fairy-tails of dragons raiding villages and abducting maidens; all of them started running towards the village, holding whatever tools were available as weapons. They realized they had to defend their families, homes and provisions, or death was just as certain as if the dragon had decided to feast on them. To their relief, they spotted a man clad in golden armor running after the dragon, a trail of dust on his heels and they started murmuring about dragon-slaying heroes or noble knights.

* * *

Sylpheed landed at the main square of the seemingly deserted village. At the edge of the houses there were several wooden frames with animal skins stretched on them and smoke was rising from the largest house nearby, the smell of cooking meat unmistakable.

"Where is everyone?" Siesta expected there wouldn't be many people around but she found it strange there were no children playing in the square nor any women keeping busy with household chores.

"Right behind me" Midas that had just arrived on scene nodded to the approaching pitch-fork and rake wielding mob, which swiftly surrounded the group from the Academy.

"Siesta! No!" A slightly short, middle aged man with pitch-black shoulder length straight hair and slanted eyes charged at the intruders only for the people around him to grab hold and stop his reckless act.

"No, father it's alright" seeing the worry on her father's face, Siesta realized what was going through his mind but before she had any chance to explain further, Midas interrupted her.

"Calm yourselves, there is no danger" he said raising his voice and his hands both. "These are students from the nearby Academy of Magic and the dragon is a familiar spirit, we do not intend to cause anyone harm."

The crowd visibly relaxed a bit, though they still held onto their makeshift weapons upon hearing the teacher's words and an elder, a person that commanded great respect among them approached hesitantly the automaton.

"May I know who you are Sir and the purpose of your visit then?" The village elder tried to be as polite as he could while at the same time did his best to suppress the screams of his survival instinct that the great reptile was invoking.

"My name is Midas and I am an instructor at the Academy, we are here on an… educational mission. We didn't mean to cause such a commotion." As the automaton spoke, Siesta had already walked to her still shaken father. After apologies were exchanged and introductions followed, the elder invited the party to join them for lunch, and although Midas would had liked for his students to socialize with the common people, he knew their upbringing wouldn't allow them to, so he politely refused adding another thing in his to-do list for correction. Since there was still about an hour to lunch-time, Midas asked the elder and Siesta's father many questions about the origin of the dragon-from-another-world and its rider and, though he didn't receive much information, they were able to provide him with a map with the dragon's current location as well as a handwritten book passed down from the dragonrider himself. Another interesting thing Midas learned was that the rider had left a will, giving ownership of his dragon to whomever would be able to read the inscription on his tomb. That implied two things the automaton though: First the dragon was possibly an inanimate object, it was unlikely that anyone would pass ownership of a mount, companion or pet in their last will. Secondly it shouldn't be very uncommon for people to travel through worlds if the dragonrider hoped another of his countrymen to be present to claim his legacy. Just as the town bell rung for lunch, Midas and his company said their goodbyes and thanks and went on in their little expedition.

The map led them through a forest some ways off the village. Midas noticed a shadow following them, moving from tree to tree, but he said nothing not wanting to alarm his charges of his pursuer. Half an hour into the forest the trees grew ancient, the thick canopy of green blocking most of the sunlight and the ground became rougher with huge rocks jutting out of the ground between the massive tree-logs while the inclination suggested they were on a mountain slope. The only reason they didn't fly over the wilderness was because of the dense foliage obscuring the various landmarks on their map. Finally they reached what looked like the entrance of a natural cave surrounded by vegetation on all sides making it truly invisible from the air.

"This looks like a nice spot for lunch" Midas declared in front of the cave and looked at the maid. Siesta understood and started procuring a large blanket and several baskets of food and bottles of drinks she had prepared before their departure from the Academy along with a few choice cuts of roast meat from the village. The students were looking at the maid wide-eyed, because everything she prepared came out of an impossibly small leather bag.

"How?" Tabitha asked in a broken monotone unable to mask her interest.

"It's a Bag of Holding, enchanted to be larger on the inside and reduce the weight of its content" the automaton replied.

Looking at the faces the students were making, Siesta remembered she had a similar expression that same morning when Midas loaned her several items and described their use, but now she couldn't but smile at their reaction as she served them the food and drinks, then sat besides her employer to enjoy her own meal. Half an hour later, with everyone's belly full and the remains of the impromptu pick-nick back inside Siesta's Bag of Holding, the group entered the cave. Midas walking at the front of their formation retrieved a small golden lantern from his own inventory and gently blew on it, causing it to illuminate the area with a dim red light and Kirche, at the rear, had her familiar salamander's tailflame providing some light as well, so they advanced at a steady pace through the cavern. The cave's glass-like smooth walls were colored in lines of red ranging from from vibrant bright to dull, almost brown following a slight wavy pattern, almost as if it was deliberately painted by some intoxicated artist who couldn't hold his hand steady.

"This seems to be a lava tube" Midas observed the surroundings as he walked.

"What do you mean lava tube? Is this map taking us into a volcano!?" Louise almost panicked hearing that and the rest of the crew looked uneasy as well.

"Judging by the degree of the corrosion on the rocks, it must have been tens of thousands of years since the last time lava flowed through these caverns, the volcano is most probably dormant if not dead" their professor assured them.

It didn't tale long to spot the exit of the cave, the sunlight reflected on the smooth volcanic rock the cave was laced. What they saw as they reached the exit took their breath away; they were inside the volcano's caldera, covered with lush vegetation and a multitude of colorful birds flying around filling the air with their melodic chirping. At the very center, there was a nearly circular lake, the emerald-green water reflecting in perfect detail the white puffs of clouds on the sky while yellow sand surrounded the lake in a ten meter wide ring, unblemished by any sign of flora or fauna. There was a faint stone path, almost overtaken by the vegetation, leading to a large domed wooden structure and a smaller house nearby, the only signs of human presence in this otherwise untouched corner of nature.

"Under no circumstances are you to approach the lake or the sand around it!" Everyone turned to the automaton wondering what prompted the teacher to issue such a strict warning. "There is the possibility the lake's waters are acidic and the lack of plant and animal life around it, is an indication that poisonous gasses are leaking from it, until I have verified it is safe, keep away" Midas explained as he made his way to the stone path towards the buildings.

The path led them to what in another time would have been a yard around the structures, enclosed by a decrepit wooden fence. There were signs of agriculture, with faint irrigation trenches that hadn't been used in a very long time and a few fruit-baring trees still surviving, but everything was drowned in weed and wild vegetation now. The small wooden cabin didn't fare much better, the roof had caved in long ago and the tree logs that composed the walls were rotting, full of vines and mushroom, the place had obviously been abandoned decades ago. The large domed building on the other hand was in pristine condition, as if in defiance of time itself, its large double doors held closed with a sturdy looking metal padlock.

"I'd rather not destroy the doors, can any of you unlock them?" Midas turned to his students. He knew on Toril there were spells that would open simple locks, one of them being the spell **KNOCK **and he hoped the people of this world would had developed similar magic.

"Leave that to me darling" Kirche touched the padlock with her wand while concentrating on her spell with her eyes closed.

"Professor!" Tabitha's barely audible voice called him from where she stood, near the crumbling fence. Midas saw her standing in front of a semi-circular stone plate and as he got near he noticed that there was some kind of inscription on the other side. Immediately he reached for the book he'd been given by Siesta's father and compared the writing with the stone's inscription.

"It seems the stone tablet was carved by the same person who wrote this book, the language at least seems to be the same" Midas said passing his hand over the carvings on the stone. "It looks like a combination of logographic and syllabic scripts, without any audio samples of the language or other references though, it will take some time to decode its meaning." He then pulled Delflinger out of one of his many Bags of Holding attached to his belt. "Have you seen any such writings before Delflinger?" he asked the sentient sword in his hand.

"Thank the stars! Don't ever stuff me in there again partner, please! That Phoenix Charging guy is scary!" Delf sounded genuinely distraught.

"Has he been bullying you?" The automaton asked without any hint of concern on his voice.

"What!? No, no, nothing of the sort…" the sword sighed. "But man, you Mithrillhearts are crazy for making something like this".

"Back to my question then, do you recognize this writing?" Midas passed the sword in front of the stone, then flipped through the pages of the book in front of it.

"Sorry partner, I have no idea what it says. Never seen that kind of script before. What's the deal with that stone anyways?"

"There is a high probability this is the tombstone of Siesta's great-grandfather, the dragonrider from another world".

"This is where great-grandfather rests?" the maid asked. "If we don't understand the writing, how can we be sure?"

"If there is a dragon slumbering inside that building, it should be all the confirmation we need". Everybody's eyes turned to the double doors as a loud "clack" sounded signaling Kirche's success in her task.

"If there is a dragon inside, you better move back before I open the doors" the automaton warned the girls and waited for them to put some distance between them, Kirche and Tabitha having called their familiars near them. "Now if I am attacked, you all get on Sylpheed and fly as fast as possible back to the Academy, the instructors there should be able to fend off the dragon, do NOT wait for me." Midas stressed his last sentence and waited until his charges nodded they understood. He looked at the sword in his hand, feeling Delflinger's anxiousness, then grabbed the handles of each door and forcefully pulled them open.

"Magnificent" That was the only word that escaped Midas as his gaze wondered over the form of the perfectly preserved Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" WWII fighter plane that lay at the center of the mostly empty room. He approached the airplane and traced with the tip of his fingers the smooth curve of the fuselage as it became narrower the closer he walked to the tail. Being a mechanical creation himself, Midas could appreciate its beauty in a manner impossible for anyone else present.

"What do you think of the dragon Delflinger?" He took a few steps back to take the airplane in its entirety within his field of vision.

"I won't lie partner, I'm relieved that a fiery breath didn't melt me to a puddle of hot liquid metal, but I'm also confused" Delf returned instantly to his old self. "I don't know what this… thing is, but I can feel it was made as a tool of war, a weapon."

"I have seen similar gnomish devices, flying contraptions lighter than air, floating within it, but they were all slaves to the whims of the winds much like boats are to the waves. But this, this is a master of the wind, able to dictate its movement in any way it desires. Whoever these people that created such machine are, their skill in the crafts is beyond most I have encountered in my travels." He walked closer inspecting the Zero's engine compartment, looking for a way to open it, finally finding the latches that held the engine covers locked. "Let's see what its heart looks like". If Midas' face could express feelings, he'd be frowning when he looked at the radial 14 cylinder internal combustion engine, it was obvious he didn't approve of that particular design.

"Is something the matter partner?" Delflinger asked half-worried, half-bored; after all, he was the stereotypical fantasy sentient weapon, he didn't know anything about technology.

"I was expecting better, the more complex a machine is, the more unreliable it becomes, there are far simpler and more efficient ways to produce power than thermal engines" he stated disappointed mostly at himself for over-hyping the Zero's creators a bit too much.

"Professor, is everything alright?" Louise peeked behind the door. It has been some time and there were none of the worrying sounds that would indicate danger, so Louise took it upon herself to ascertain her mentor's safety.

"Ah, yes, Louise, call the others to come in, everything is under control" the automaton replied without taking his eyes off his discovery.

For the girls to be in a state of shock, it was beginning to become part of their everyday normal life since that fateful afternoon of the summoning ritual. Much like in this instance, when they laid their eyes on the strange contraption with the teacher explaining it was but a machine, intended to conduct war in the skies. Midas was curious to measure the Zero's capabilities in comparison with what he had read about the Tristain's Griphon Air Corps, but as he continued his inspection he found to his disappointment that the plane was completely out of fuel. He did discover though a technical manual in the pilot's compartment, one with detailed drawing of the airplane's various parts that could aid him greatly in learning the strange language. He also noticed that at the corners of the building there were two wooden crates and two large sealed clay pots placed so each was lying as far from the others as possible. He carefully opened one of the boxes and found a metal strip comprised of elongated metal cones linked together by small interlocked open rings.

"There are its fangs" he said as he examined the 7.7mm bullets. He placed the ammunition back into the crate and went on to inspect the other one at the opposite corner of the room where he found similar cones, these however were much fewer in number, only twelve and they were also much larger, they were the shells of the wing mounted 20mm cannons instead. The clay pots were sealed and Midas though best to open them in a more controlled environment, so he left them as they were for the time being.

"Miss Siesta, would you be interested in continuing the legacy of your otherwordly ancestor?"

"What!?" This exclamation came from several different directions including the maid's.

"The way I see it, this" Midas pointed to the fighter plane "… is your birth right. If you are willing to accept the responsibility, I will share with you first, whatever progress I make deciphering the dragonrider's language so you can read his epitaph and be legally made the machine's owner".

"But professor… she is just a commoner. Such powerful weapon, capable of flying between worlds, should be handled only by a noble!" It was Louise's rebuttal.

"How many commoners do you know miss Valiere that would carve an epitaph on their own tombstones? It is clear the dragonrider considered himself more and wished to leave to posterity more than a commoner. Besides that, the fact that his people had entrusted him with such weapon, which as you said should only be handled by a noble, might be indications he was not one of the plebeians. If he indeed held a noble rank in his world, then it has been passed to his descendants." The students now started looking at the maid with perplexed expressions causing the naturally shy girl to blush while trying to hide her face. "These are of course matters we can attend to at a later date, for now, you are free to spend some time exploring the glade while I investigate the lake." With this Midas headed to the lake at the center of the verdant crater.

"Are you going to be alright lord Midas? You said there might be poisonous fumes around the lake" Siesta remembered the automaton's previous grave warning.

"There is no cause for concern miss Siesta. I am quite resistant to toxins and poisons and I have some idea of what to expect". He said as he made his way to the lake leaving the girls back.

* * *

"You may come out now, it's only the two of us here" Midas said while he reached for a handful of yellow sand from the shore and examined it carefully.

"I see there is more to the rumors about you" a somewhat androgynous voice answered from the treeline. A slim, tall humanoid appeared behind a tree, straight golden hair reaching down its waist, clad in green leather armor. The face was arguably male, bearing no hair except for the region of the eyes and the scalp, with quite an effeminate bone structure and elongated ears. A bow was strung on his back and he was armed with a longsword that hung from his belt within its sheathe while a quiver full of arrow was secured on the other side of his belt.

"I haven't seen many of the fair-folk around these parts. Care to explain why you follow me?" the automaton inquired.

The elf stood still for a few moments in surprise, taken aback by Midas non-hostile tone considering the reputation elves had in the human nations but also shocked at what Midas called him.

"Where did you hear that? Who are you?!" He bellowed, immediately realizing his mistake as his cry drew the attention of the automaton's companions. Regretting his actions, he looked around, then withdrew into the trees.

"We'll meet again..." he whispered as he vanished in the vegetation moments before Louise scurried through a bush.

"Don't come any closer miss Valiere, this place isn't safe" The professor warned once again the pinkette.

"I heard a cry professor, is there somebody else here?" the little mage was scanning the area with her stare locating Kirche and Tabitha who had similarly just arrived nearby and the maid behind her.

"Go have some free time, just don't come near the lake for now, everything is in order".

With their instructors assurances, the girls returned to what they were doing, Kirche and Tabitha exploring the forest while Louise was having tea served by Siesta.

Midas went back to analyzing the sand, detecting high concentrations of sulfur, while the smooth mirror of the green water's surface was occasionally disturbed by small bubbles releasing methane gas, clear evidence of volcanic activity.

"I don't like the color of the water partner." Delflinger sounded nervous as Midas dipped his hand into the lake.

"As I expected, there is a considerable concentration of sulfuric acid, while unable to corrode my alloys, it wouldn't be a good idea dropping you in it" He said looking at his hand dripping the lake's water, a dead leaf sizzling and releasing steam underneath whenever a drop of acid landed on it. Midas spent the next couple hours investigating the area and collecting rock samples until it was time to gather all his companions. As everyone gathered before the storehouse Midas addressed them: "I believe it is time for us to return to Tarbes and inform the people of our discovery, then head back to the Academy. Well done everyone for a successful outcome". They all seemed to agree with the professor and after they secured the warehouse's doors, the girls got on Sylpheed's back since there was no longer a need to follow a trail on the ground anymore.

Thirty minutes later, the party was in the village elder's house where they related their small adventure and then got on their trip back to their home. Their travel to the Academy was uneventful, reaching the gates of the walled school by late afternoon, with Midas dismissing the students for the rest of the day to their own affairs.

**Author's Notes**

And that's it. I tried to make the chapter a bit larger this time and experimented with more detailed descriptions. Till next time, stay healthy.


	10. Chapter 10

**DISCLAIMERS AND SUCH….**

"**Dungeons & Dragons" and "Zero no Tsukaima" in all their forms are the intellectual property of their creators/owners with whom I have no affiliation.**

**Though I am confident in my use of it, my mother tongue is not English, so any corrections to mistakes that make it past me are welcome, I wish for my writing to be as enjoyable as possible and I know how distracting spelling errors in particular can be.**

**This is a fanfiction crossover of "Zero no Tsukaima" and "Dungeons & Dragons" (Ruleset 3.5 Ed).**

**I realize it has been ****a very long time**** since the last update; when I started writing this story I intended to keep a biweekly update schedule. Conditions changed since then, some for the best, other for the worst and imposing upon myself yet another deadline would defeat the purpose of my continuing with this project since I started it as a form of stress relief. I sincerely apologize for failing to deliver the promised frequent updates; the story is definitely not dead but the updates will come sporadically and probably infrequently. Those of you who decide to drop the story, I thank you for your support and hope you find what you seek soon. For the rest, on with the show.**

**Chapter 10: CREDENTIALS**

Midas watched his students enter the Academy's main building and once the last of them disappeared behind the double oaken doors, he turned back and exited the main gate heading for the nearby forest. He walked five minutes among the trees until he finally came to a stop at a seemingly random place.

"Have you calmed down enough to hold a conversation now?" he said to nobody.

"You called me a (Fair Folk) on our previous meeting" The elf from the volcano's caldera showed himself behind the massive trunk of an ancient tree. He was guarded and held his bow at the ready, his eyes squinted to slits, arrow nocked in and ready to pull the string at a moment's notice. "Where did you hear that term?" Even after all these hours of trailing the party, the elven scout still seemed shaken by such simple words.

"Is that not what your people are known as throughout Faerun?" Midas nonchalantly answered him.

The elf's eyes widened for a moment hearing that but he immediately recomposed himself staring at Midas with suspicion.

"What do you know of Faerun?" His voice trembled under the sentimental maelstrom that rocked his soul.

"Faerun is my homeworld, so I would know quite a lot. Is there anything specific you wish me to tell you of?" Midas gauged the elf's reaction as he paused, who seemed to be at a loss of not only words but also actions as he nearly lost his grip of his bow.

"Impossible! I never thought the rumors would hold any truth! If… If what you say is true... There are so many things I could ask… No! I… I have to leave. Please forgive my earlier rude behavior" he said bowing respectfully to the golden automaton. "The others must now..." he muttered the last part in a hushed voice that no living being could have heard at this distance, Midas' hearing however was far more sensitive than any living being. The automaton didn't force the subject, his schedule was packed full for the next three days, until the princess' visit, and he didn't have the time to pursue another mystery presently, especially one that didn't seem pressing. After all, the human nations had held an uneasy coexistence side by side with the elves for more than six millennia, another few days wouldn't change much, so he bowed back and after the elf withdrew further in the forest he turned to the Academy to deliver his overdue report of the day's happenings.

When he passed the Academy's gate once more, he found professor Colbert nervously pacing back and forward on the courtyard. As he drew his college's attention, Colbert made a beeline straight for him.

"Professor, where have you been? The Headmaster is eagerly awaiting your report. Rumors circulate you have discovered the dragon of legend-"

"I had to turn back to retrieve something, it was nothing important" Midas cut the professor's rant. "Let's go to the Headmaster's office and I will inform you both there". They walked the rest of the way in silence and in no time they were already inside the familiar room…

* * *

The next couple days Midas was very busy; apart from teaching in his classroom and some personal classes to Louise he was rarely seen outside his laboratory. The automaton was absorbed in deciphering of the three scripts of the Japanese language and his research of the Zero fighter plane, that had been already transported to the Academy along with the sealed clay pots (which turned out to contain some of the planes' original kerosene fuel) and the ammunition crates. By the second day he had made great progress, having already fully analyzed the airplane as well as having enough knowledge about the Japanese written characters to read the tomb's inscription, and he started instructing Siesta in both.

Tomorrow was to be the big day of the Crown Princess' visit and the various delegations from Tristain's noble houses had already started pouring in one after the other, something that Midas made sure to keep track of. It was early in the afternoon, while Midas was tinkering with unstable chemicals in an attempt to replicate the airplane's fuel using alcohol as the basis when someone knocked on the lab's door. Without waiting for confirmation the door opened and a tall man entered.

"Master Wardes, the experiments conducted here could be dangerous-" Colbert protested but still followed inside the lab.

The man had long blonde hair, a well-trimmed beard and he wore what Midas thought was typical garb for swashbucklers or bards, high quality but not too flashy shirt and pants, leather boots, a long cloak and a large hat with a feather. On his left side a weird mix of a rapier and wand was held inside a metal ring attached to his belt.

"It is alright professor Colbert" Midas said examining the intruder who was looking around at the various strange paraphernalia the automaton had created. "I have sensitive equipment here I cannot afford to damage, so I always take the utmost precaution before any… dangerous experiments. Though I must admit, I wasn't expecting any guests."

"Forgive my intrusion Lord Midas, but I had heard so much about you I couldn't contain my excitement. I am Jan-Jacques Francis, Viscount of Wardes" He assumed a charming smile and took an obviously practiced, elegant bow. Of course, Midas was keeping tabs of the nobles' arrivals and he already knew Wardes was the current captain of the Griffin Corps.

"I am Midas of the Mithrillheart Clan" the automaton responded with a nod of his head as he turned off the small azure flame on his workbench and settled the various vials containing different colored chemicals each. "I am afraid this place is ill-prepared to entertain guests, shall we move to the adjacent classroom?"

"That won't be necessary, I don't intent to take too much of your time. I came here as her Highness' acting chief of security to assess any potential… trouble before the princess' arrival-"

"And by potential trouble, I assume you mean me" The automaton interjected. "It is understandable; what will it take to put your mind at ease Lord Wardes?"

The viscount smiled at Midas' words."I see you are not a man to mince words. I am a warrior Lord Midas. The best way for me to know someone is to face them in combat. So I was thinking of a sparring match between us maybe" The professor fell silent for a few moments.

"I have no objection, however I am employed here in this academy as an instructor, not a sword for hire, so I would like to avoid making a spectacle out of this..."

"Then how about you pick the place and each of us bring one witness only?" Wardes had expected some sort of retort or indirect protest and he had prepared this little trap beforehand.

"That is acceptable. There is a clearing in the forest ten minutes on foot north of the Academy, if you flew from the capital, you should have spotted it; we can meet there in an hour's time" the automaton replied.

"Indeed I know the place, meet you in an hour then professor" Wardes said cheerfully and walked out almost skipping like a child that's gotten the toy he asked from Santa at Christmas.

An hour later Wardes was pacing on the clearing, a smug smile on his face for the perfectly executed plan of his. He stood to gain far more than he dared hope when he first accepted his assignment from the queen, and it was all thanks to the newcomer's easygoing nature… or was it pride? Regardless, he was provided with a one in a lifetime opportunity to achieve his ambitions way ahead of schedule. He took another look at the diminutive pink-haired girl besides him who, once she noticed it, blushed to the color of beets. She didn't know it yet, he thought, but soon she would become his prize and the perfect offering to his secret master. His train of thought came to an end when he spotted Midas coming out of the dense vegetation and then he felt his world collapse the moment he laid his eyes on the other person after the automaton.

"Long time no see Wardes" Karin the Heavy Wind greeted her former apprentice and right-hand man. The Captain froze stiff, his mind on overdrive, trying to understand how Midas could turn his expectations upside down with a single move. He thought by humiliating Louise's mentor in combat, he would earn her favour over the automaton, but now he found himself in a position where he had to prove his worth as Captain of the Griffin Corps to his mentor, former captain and legendary hero of Tristain. Furthermore, for Midas to invite Karin as his witness, the professor must have been quite confident in his chance of victory, an eventuality that would reinforce Midas' position over his to the eyes of his target and possibly even gain Karin's approval, further cementing the automaton's authority.

"Mother?!" Louise gasped seeing her, just as surprised, if not more than Wardes himself.

"Lady Karin, Lord Midas" he replied after an unintentional pause with a crackling voice. "I am prepared to start any time" He once more assumed his cool persona and bowed, then drew his wand-sword and took a fighting stance. He was not going to underestimate his opponent again, he was resolved to deny Midas any openings to foil his plans furthermore.

"Then you may begin anytime you want" Midas lowered his body, then drew Delflinger from its scabbard and held it overhead with the tip of the sword pointing at his opponent while his empty left arm was positioned forward in a defensive posture. In his mind, Wardes envisioned himself attacking the automaton from various angles, but in all cases, he saw Midas evading, deflecting or blocking his strikes, leaving him vulnerable to counterattacks.

"What a powerful defense" he exclaimed unintentionally in an almost silent whisper.

"Perhaps then I should make the first move" The words had barely been spoken and the automaton had already covered the distance between them in a flash, bringing Delflinger for a downward vertical strike. Wardes, acting on pure instinct, barely managed to move his weapon in place to block the attack, but when the two swords made contact he felt like he was being crushed by the weight of the entire world. His knees buckled under the force, but instead of trying to fight it, he followed the move tumbling away from his opponent. Before he had a chance to regain his bearings however, Midas was already besides him swinging his sentient sword horizontally. The viscount once more raised his sword-wand in the nick of time, holding it with both hands and placing his shoulder behind it using his entire body weight to stop the strike. He felt his bones rattle from the impact and his breath was cut from a punch he received in his gut, that threw him in the air. This time he was ready to stop his opponent's next attack as he cast a wind barrier the moment he made contact with the ground. Midas followed Wardes with such speed that he became difficult to track and, seemingly disregarding completely the barrier, delivered a roundhouse kick that was blocked by the viscount's weapon but still made him lose his footing and forced him to take several steps back to steady himself.

«Impossible» Wardes thought. He expected his barrier to at the very least slow Midas down if not stop him outright. «Impossible… unless this is not his full power, he is toying with me! I need to change my strategy». He knew he couldn't take any more attacks like these, even if they were not direct hits so he jumped backwards using his wind magic to increase the distance he glided back.

"I applaud you Lord Midas, you truly exceed any expectations I might have had for this duel. But there is a debilitating weakness in your style. And that weakness..." Wardes said as he whistled sharply. A great chimeric quadruped beast with the wings, forelegs, neck and head of an eagle and the body of a lion, a prime example of a griffon, landed next to him. Wardes mounted it with practiced ease and immediately took to the skies above. "...is your lack of reach!" he shouted as he flung magical spheres of compressed air at the automaton.

Midas intercepted the incoming magic projectiles with Delflinger, the sword's innate spell disrupting ability proving more than enough to destabilize the magic and harmlessly dissipate the compressed air. Seeing his tactic being ineffective, Wardes desisted from further action, waiting for Midas' response. At this point, he would be satisfied with a stalemate, though he had a feeling this fight was not over yet; if Midas had planned this all from the beginning, he was certain to have a way to impress his witness, Karin.

"Since you demonstrated your magic, it would be remiss of me not to act in kind. Although many among my people can cast traditional spells, the true Mithrillheart magic is our ability to create..." the automaton said in a low voice as he sheathed Delflinger and reached inside one of his Bags of Holding attached to his belt. From a container barely larger than a coin pouch, he then retrieved a full sized halberd exquisitely crafted to depict in painstaking detail the image of a bird in mid-flight charge. The bird's wings were open behind its back, meeting one another, fused in an ax, its curved edge, viciously serrated following the outline of every single one of the feathers consisting it. On the opposite side, the bird's short, powerful legs were fully extended bearing four razor-sharp talons each, ready to pounce on their unlucky prey. The straight neck reached as far as the uppermost point of the wing-ax, supporting the head with two perfectly polished scarlet rubies for eyes and a triangular beak as long as the neck serving as the weapon's spear tip. Finally, the tail was made of a single 1.65 metre long cylindrical feather, standing as long as its current wielder was tall, ending in a wide, oval pommel with a flawless, fist sized viridian sapphire embedded into it similar in fashion to a peacock's tail feather providing both a counterweight to the weaponized side of the polearm and one more venue to assault one's enemy.

"Artifacts like this" He finished his sentence. Three pairs of eyes bulged almost out of their sockets at the sight of the magnificent weapon, more fit to be an exhibit as a masterpiece of art in a museum or locked up behind a safe. Midas held the halberd in a reverse grip pulling his right arm as far back as possible while taking aim with his empty left arm, like some sort of javelin thrower.

"Phoenix Charging..." he said and his arm-wielding hand became wreathed in blue fire that spread the length of the bird's tail, burning a more usual mix of yellow, orange and red colors. Then he twisted his torso bringing the halberd forward with incredible speed.

"AWAKEN!" he bellowed the moment he released the weapon… which came to life! What flew out of the automaton's grip was no longer a halberd made of exotic metals and precious gems but a living, breathing bird of legends, a phoenix. It flapped its wings adding to its already considerable speed while the still-enflamed tail extended in a triangular shape on both sides like a fan, leaving a fiery trail on the bird's flight-path. The phoenix stopped to a hover once it reached Wardes' altitude and locked eyes with him for a brief moment as its tail flame seemed to spread onto the horizon behind it painting the sky a twilight red. It cawed a very bestial, avian-like sound but the meaning was clear to all; a single warning before the inferno was unleashed. Wardes didn't dare think challenging the phoenix, even breathing had become painful because of the suffocating heat from its tail so he prompted his mount to land.

"After this show of power, I consider it my honor to admit defeat" The viscount bowed before Midas while the phoenix hovered over them, eventually perching on the professor's shoulder. Once again Wardes silently cursed his luck, he couldn't even lie about Midas to the princess, Karin was sure to relegate the true events. Furthermore he dreaded his inevitable, private talk with his former captain, and the only way to save face was for Midas' performance to have met with her expectations, something that would further hinder his own designs.

"This should be enough to prove it is self-restraint and benign intentions that guide my hand" Midas dryly stated, then, having accomplished all the objectives in his checklist, turned away and disappeared in the foliage leaving the three Tristainians to simmer by themselves.

"What did he mean by that?" Louise asked the other two who seemed to have come to a profound realization. She looked between her mother and her fiancée, waiting for an answer that neither of them looked willing to give.

"What he probably meant..." Wardes started slowly "...is that we can't do anything to oppose him if he decides to… take action" he said through clenched teeth.

"In other words the fact that he hadn't resorted to villainous acts is proof enough of his intentions" Karin confirmed.

"Not even you mother!?" Louise was in shock. She knew how strong her mother was, even after retiring from the Corps, she was one of the most powerful mages in Tristain, that coupled with her warrior training made her nothing short of a force of nature.

"Me, the captain here, the entire Griffin Corpse, maybe even Tristain..." Karin said thoughtfully recalling that intelligence reported Midas had several of what he called "adventuring companions", and that he was working to open a permanent gateway between their worlds. Could his companions hold as much power as the automaton? Founder save them if they were actually stronger, Midas was definitely a person even she didn't want to get on his bad side.

Karin could never imagine that a simple invitation to witness a practice bout could turn to a matter of national importance; she was determined to be present in the princess' debriefing besides Wardes and she would bring Louise along to testify for the automaton's character since she knew him for far longer. And if Louise's relationship with Midas ensured they remained in his good graces, Karin would allow it, even enforce it over any other, competing relationships to protect her country.

* * *

A couple hours later, in a certain conference room, several persons were seated around a long, luxurious table. Princess Henrietta held the position of honor at the table's head, surrounded by several elderly figures as well as her personal guards, all of them focused on Wardes' retelling of his encounter with Midas.

"I don't understand it" Henrietta said after Wardes was finished. "In the previous reports, Lord Midas never demonstrated such power, not when facing count Mott, nor when he fought Agnes' squad. If he was hiding his true capabilities all this time, why reveal them now? Couldn't he had subdued Wardes without using such overwhelming force?"

"Perhaps this was a statement" Osmond guessed. Having been an ally and trusted advisor to the royal family for three generations, his place was right next to the princess.

"A statement professor?" Henrietta asked the headmaster.

"Tomorrow Midas will officially announce the existence of his nation and initiate negotiations on various state affairs. After such demonstration, we cannot afford to think the Mithrillheart Clan as an inferior force to Tristain" Osmond added.

"Wait a moment, are you saying Lord Midas had already planned everything that happened in preparation for tomorrow's meeting?!" To say the princess was shocked would be an understatement.

"That is a frightening thought indeed" The headmaster agreed.

**Author's Notes**

**Did you really think Midas could be coaxed into a duel by any random person? As an artificial being, he values efficiency far more than pride, so he expects to gain something from every action he takes.**


End file.
